Quality of Analgesia After Interscalene Block After Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery

Quality of Analgesia After Interscalene Block With Bupivacaine and Exparel® vs. Bupivacaine Alone After Arthroscopic Shoulder Surgery

Shoulder arthroscopic causes post operative pain that outlasts analgesia provided by single injection nerve blocks.

The interscalene brachial plexus block (ISBPB) is a common analgesic technique for procedures of the shoulder and upper arm.

Moreover, the incidence of rebound pain is well documented and is often of considerable discomfort to patients, who may quickly go from little or no pain to moderate-severe pain. Continuous nerve block techniques with home ambulatory catheters are currently utilized to manage postoperative pain.This study is designed to compare the level and duration of pain control of Exparel® injected after bupivacaine via stop-cock connected syringes and bupivacaine alone for ISBPB.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Dutch or English speaking adults
• 18 years or older ASA I-III physical class
• Scheduled for elective arthroscopic shoulder surgery

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of allergy to a local anesthetic
• Baseline neurological deficit
• Medical condition that would make it difficult to assess sensory distribution or communicate with the investigators' staff
• Recent history (< 3 months) of drug or alcohol abuse
• Concomitant opioid therapy
• Preexisting coagulation disorder
• Infection at the injection site
• Pregnancy