Publication Date

2014

Journal Title

HSS J

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Appropriate pain management after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA) facilitates rehabilitation and may improve clinical outcomes.; QUESTIONS/PURPOSES: This prospective, observational study evaluated a multimodal analgesia clinical pathway for TSA.; METHODS: Ten TSA patients received an interscalene nerve block (25cm(3) 0.375% ropivacaine) with intraoperative general anesthesia. Postoperative analgesia included regularly scheduled non-opioid analgesics (meloxicam, acetaminophen, and pregabalin) and opioids on demand (oral oxycodone and intravenous patient-controlled hydromorphone). Patients were evaluated twice daily to assess pain, anterior deltoid strength, handgrip strength, and sensory function.; RESULTS: The nerve block lasted an average of 18h. Patients had minimal pain after surgery; 0 (median score on a 0-10 scale) in the Post-Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU) but increased on postoperative day (POD) 1 to 2.3 (0.0, 3.8; median (25%, 75%)) at rest and 3.8 (2.1, 6.1) with movement. Half of the patients activated the patient-controlled analgesia four or fewer times in the first 24h after surgery. Operative anterior deltoid strength was 0 in the PACU but returned to 68% by POD 1. Operative hand strength was 0 (median) in the PACU, but the third quartile (75%) had normalized strength 49% of preoperative value.; CONCLUSIONS: Patients did well with this multimodal analgesic protocol. Pain scores were low, half of the patients used little or no intravenous opiate, and some patients had good handgrip strength. Future research can focus on increasing duration of analgesia from the nerve block, minimizing motor block, lowering pain scores, and avoiding intravenous opioids.

Volume Number

10

Issue Number

2

Pages

100-6

Document Type

Article

Status

Faculty

Facility

School of Medicine

Primary Department

Orthopedic Surgery

PMID

25050091

DOI

10.1007/s11420-014-9381-0


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