Anterior scalene plane block at the superior trunk level relieves referred shoulder pain after liver radiofrequency ablation: a technical report

Yin-Tzu Liu; Sheng-Wei Cheng; Jin-De Hou; Wei-Chen Chung; Hsun-Chung Tsuo; Jui-An Lin

doi:10.1016/j.bjane.2020.10.019

Anterior scalene plane block at the superior trunk level relieves referred shoulder pain after liver radiofrequency ablation: a technical report

Braz J Anesthesiol. 2021 Jul-Aug;71(4):466-468. doi: 10.1016/j.bjane.2020.10.019. Epub 2021 Feb 17.

Authors

Yin-Tzu Liu¹, Sheng-Wei Cheng², Jin-De Hou³, Wei-Chen Chung¹, Hsun-Chung Tsuo¹, Jui-An Lin⁴

Affiliations

¹ Taipei Medical University, Wan Fang Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Taipei, Taiwan.
² Taipei Medical University, Wan Fang Hospital, Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Taipei, Taiwan.
³ Hualien Armed Forces General Hospital, Division of Anesthesiology, Hualien, Taiwan. Electronic address: hollowsoul701120@hotmail.com.
⁴ Taipei Medical University, Wan Fang Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Taipei, Taiwan; Taipei Medical University, College of Medicine, School of Medicine, Department of Anesthesiology, Taipei, Taiwan; Taipei Medical University, Wan Fang Hospital, Pain Research Center, Taipei, Taiwan; Taipei Medical University, Wan Fang Hospital, Centers for Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Taipei, Taiwan. Electronic address: juian.lin@tmu.edu.tw.

Abstract

We report the first case of using an anterior scalene plane block at the superior trunk level achieving phrenic nerve blockade to treat intolerable referred shoulder pain after liver Radiofrequency Ablation (RFA) of a diaphragm-abutting liver tumor despite prevention with a full-dose non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. The anterior scalene plane block rapidly alleviated pain without significant complications.

Keywords: Liver neoplasms; Nerve block; Pain, referred: shoulder; Phrenic nerve; Radiofrequency ablation.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Humans
Liver
Radiofrequency Ablation* / adverse effects
Shoulder
Shoulder Pain* / drug therapy
Shoulder Pain* / etiology