Abstract | UNLABELLED: Patients receiving effective thoracic epidural analgesia for postthoracotomy pain may still complain of severe ipsilateral shoulder pain. The etiology of this pain is unclear. In this randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study, we investigated the effect of phrenic nerve infiltration with lidocaine or saline on postoperative shoulder pain in 48 patients. After completion of a lung resection, patients received either 10 mL of 1% lidocaine or 10 mL of 0.9% saline infiltrated into the periphrenic fat pad at the level of the diaphragm. Shoulder pain was experienced by 33% of patients receiving lidocaine, compared with 85% of patients receiving saline (P < 0.008). Overall pain scores were lower with lidocaine (P < 0.05). PaCO(2) values were not significantly higher with lidocaine in the first 2 h. We conclude that pain transmitted via the phrenic nerve and referred to the shoulder is the most likely explanation for the ipsilateral shoulder pain experienced by patients receiving epidural analgesia for postthoracotomy pain. IMPLICATIONS:
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Authors | N D Scawn, S H Pennefather, A Soorae, J Y Wang, G N Russell |
Journal | Anesthesia and analgesia
(Anesth Analg)
Vol. 93
Issue 2
Pg. 260-4, 1st contents page
(Aug 2001)
ISSN: 0003-2999 [Print] United States |
PMID | 11473840
(Publication Type: Clinical Trial, Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)
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Chemical References |
- Anesthetics, Local
- Lidocaine
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Topics |
- Aged
- Analgesia, Epidural
- Anesthetics, Local
(therapeutic use)
- Double-Blind Method
- Female
- Humans
- Lidocaine
(therapeutic use)
- Male
- Middle Aged
- Phrenic Nerve
(drug effects, physiology)
- Shoulder Pain
(etiology, prevention & control)
- Thoracotomy
(adverse effects)
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