This case report describes a previously unreported complication of third-degree heart block associated with supraclavicular brachial plexus block, potentially related to interactions with calcium channel blockers.
Third-degree heart block may complicate supraclavicular block; this single case leaves open causality and practice implications.
Regional anesthesia is frequently administered to elderly patients and those with known cardiovascular disease in the hope of minimizing the cardiovascular complications associated with general anesthesia. Drug interactions between local anesthetics used in regional techniques and calcium channel blockers have been described. To date, however, potentially life-threatening dysrhythmias associated with brachial plexus blockade using the supraclavicular approach have not been reported. We now describe such a case.
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Vyas et al. (1996) studied this question.
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