Association of clonidine and ropivacaine in brachial plexus block for shoulder arthroscopy.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Arthroscopy for shoulder disorders is associated with severe and difficult to control pain, postoperatively. The addition of clonidine to local anesthetics for peripheral nerve block has become increasingly common, thanks to the potential ability of this drug to reduce the mass of local anesthetic required and to prolonging analgesia postoperatively. The present study aimed to evaluate the success of brachial plexus block for arthroscopic rotator cuff surgery using local anesthetic with or without clonidine. METHOD: 53 patients of both genders, between 18 and 70 years old, American Society of Anesthesiologists I or II, who were scheduled to undergo arthroscopic shoulder surgery were selected. Patients were then randomized into two groups. The verbal numerical pain scale and the presence of motor block were obtained in the post-anesthetic recovery room and 6, 12, 18 and 24h postoperatively. RESULTS: The association of clonidine (0.15mg) to a solution of 0.33% ropivacaine (30mL) in brachial plexus block for shoulder arthroscopy has not diminished the visual numeric pain scale values, nor the need for opioid rescue postoperatively. There was a lower incidence of nausea/vomiting postoperatively and a significant motor block time prolongation in the group of patients who received clonidine as adjuvant. CONCLUSIONS: The use of brachial plexus block with local anesthetic for analgesic postoperative control is well established in the literature. The addition of clonidine in the dose proposed for prolongation of the analgesic effect and reduction of opioid rescue proved unhelpful.

Anesthetic management of a patient with Cri Du Chat syndrome. Case report.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Cri Du Chat syndrome is a chromosomal disorder with peculiar clinical characteristics including airways abnormalities that require special care by anesthesiologists when handling those patients. OBJECTIVE: To present a case of outpatient anesthesia in a patient with Cri Du Chat syndrome and discuss the anesthetic aspects related to this disorder. CASE REPORT: Male patient, 14 years old, 25 kg, with Cri Du Chat syndrome, physical status ASA P2, was admitted for upper gastrointestinal endoscopy and esophageal dilation. The patient had mental retardation, a few episodes of seizures, and marked hypertonia of the limbs. Airways exam showed limited cervical mobility and thyromental distance less than six centimeters. The patient was unable to comprehend verbal commands, making it difficult to undertake a complete assessment of the airways. Other findings on physical exam included microcephaly, micrognathism, subtle strabismus, limb hypertonia with flexion, and protrusion of the tip of the tongue. Intravenous fentanyl 50 µg, midazolam 1 mg, and propofol 60 mg were administered. The patient was maintained on spontaneous ventilation. The procedure lasted 5 minutes, without intercurrences. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with Cri Du Chat syndrome have clinical characteristics that are very important for their anesthetic management, being the responsibility of the anesthesiologist to consider carefully the structural particularities of each patient.