Interpleural catheter technique for perioperative pain management.

Management of pain in surgical patient is very crucial. It is more so in thoracic and upper abdominal surgery. Lots of technique and drugs have been used to control postoperative pain including thoracic epidural analgesia. We describe a case in whom Intraoperative and Postoperative pain was managed by injecting 0.5% bupivacaine 20 ml in the interpleural space through the catheter, followed by continuous infusion of 0.1% bupivacaine 10 ml/ hour for 24 hours. The whole perioperative and postoperative period was uneventful. The first series of patients in whom this technique was used was described by Murphy in 1983, (1) who used it in patients with multiple fractured ribs and in postoperative patients after gallbladder and kidney surgery. One year later, Reiestad and Kvalheim published their results of continuous intercostal nerve block for postoperative pain relief and presented their modification of the technique, which is now termed interpleural analgesia.

Three in one block for unilateral knee arthrotomy in an old lady.

An old lady having septic arthritis of right knee joint underwent arthrotomy under three in one block for femoral, obturator and lateral cutaneous nerve of thigh in inguinal region, with catheter in situ. She was a case of chronic obstructive airway disease with ischaemic heart disease, so operation and postoperative pain management was planned under regional block. Anaesthesia was started by giving regional block with 0.25% bupivacaine at first and maintained with intermittent injection of 0.125% bupivacaine. The patient was pain free and comfortable though out the perioperative period.