Anesthesia for the Patient Undergoing Shoulder Surgery

Abstract

Shoulder surgery introduces important anesthesia considerations. The interscalene nerve block is considered the gold standard regional anesthetic technique and can serve as the primary anesthetic or can be used for postoperative analgesia. Phrenic nerve blockade is a limitation of the interscalene block and various phrenic-sparing strategies and techniques have been described. Patient positioning is another important anesthetic consideration and can be associated with significant hemodynamic effects and position-related injuries.

Keywords: Beach chair position; Brachial plexus; Interscalene block; Peripheral nerve block; Regional anesthesia; Shoulder surgery.