Paresthesia and Motor Weakness of Left Shoulder after Interscalene Nerve Block: A case report / 대한마취과학회지

ABSTRACT

Nerve injury can arise as a complication of peripheral nerve block. Three factors are of special etiologic interest: nerve lesion due to the needle injury or intraneural injection; toxic effects of drugs injected overall when epinephrine is used; ischemic trauma. The symptoms of such nerve lesions are dysesthesia, motor weakness or paralysis. We report a case of severe neurologic symptoms of left shoulder after interscalene nerve block in a 23-year-old ASA I male patient. Interscalene block utilizing nerve stimulator and elicitation of paresthesia was performed smoothly for incision and drainage of 2nd finger mass. Total 30 cc of 2% lidocaine with epinephrine was used. After the procedure, the patient developed a severe dysesthesia and motor weakness of left shoulder which gradually improved over the next 6 months through the extensive rehabilitation program. The block should be handled with care: rough paresthesia seeking techniques and intraneural injections should be avoided; short bevel needles and plain solutions should be used to avoid complications.