Role of an Intercostobrachial Nerve Block in Alleviating Tourniquet Pain: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Abstract

IntroductionTourniquet pain may have cutaneous and ischemic components. It is questionable whether blockade of a sensory nerve will help reduce ischemic pain. In addition, complete anesthesia of the axilla in the intercostobrachial nerve (ICBN) distribution is challenging to execute, and ICBN blockade has an inherently higher failure rate because of its variable anatomic location and source of innervation. We sought to determine the utility of an ICBN block for the prevention of tourniquet pain. MethodsWe conducted a single-center randomized controlled trial at a major academic medical center involving patients scheduled to undergo distal upper extremity surgery under ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Forty patients were randomized to receive an additional ICBN block or no ICBN block, with 22 allocated to the intervention and 18 to control. We collected data on the incidence of tourniquet pain and systemic anesthetic requirements. ResultsInitial contingency analysis examining the relationship between ICBN block placement and the development of pain using the two-tailed Fisher exact test failed to show that the presence or absence of ICBN block was associated with the development of tourniquet pain. χ 2 analysis failed to show that tourniquet time was significantly related to the development of tourniquet pain. ConclusionsThe overall incidence of tourniquet pain in the setting of a dense supraclavicular brachial plexus block for surgical anesthesia was low even without an ICBN block and even with tourniquet times greater than 90 min. Tourniquet pain was easily managed with small amounts of systemic analgesics.

Comparison of the Effect of Intercostobrachial Nerve Block with and Without Ultrasound Guidance on Tourniquet Pain After Axillary Block of Brachial Plexus: A Randomized Clinical Trial

“…Le-Wendling et al studied 40 patients under US-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block who received an additional or no ICBN block, with 22 allocated to the intervention group and 18 to the control group (11). They concluded that the presence or absence of ICBN block was associated with the development of tourniquet pain; in addition, the overall incidence of tourniquet pain in the setting of a dense brachial plexus block was low even without ICBN block and even with using tourniquet more than 90 minutes (11). The results of this research are inconsistent with the current study.…”