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REGIONAL ANESTHESIA

The Effects of Interscalene Brachial Plexus Block on Humeral Arterial Blood Flow: A Doppler Ultrasound Study

Henri Iskandar, MD^*, Nicolas Wakim, MD^*, Antoine Benard, MD, Bertrand Manaud, MD^*, Joelle Ruel-Raymond, MD^*, Gyslaine Cochard, MD^*, and Chris Huber, MB, BS, FRCS^*

*Department of Anesthesiology, Clinique Bordeaux-Mérignac, Mérignac; and ISPED, Université Bordeaux 2, Bordeaux Cedex, France

Address correspondence and reprint requests to Henri Iskandar, Clinique chirurgicale Bordeaux-Mérignac, 9 rue Jean-Moulin, 33700 Mérignac, France. Address e-mail to henriiskandar{at}free.fr.

In this study we investigated and quantified the effects of interscalene block (ISB) on humeral arterial blood flow (HBF). Eleven patients scheduled for shoulder arthroscopic surgery under ISB were prospectively studied. A Doppler ultrasound of the humeral artery was performed before, and 30 min after, the ISB. The resistance index and the HBF were measured at the level of the midpoint of the upper arm. The median (interquartile range) of resistance index decreased from 0.98 (0.95–1.00) to 0.81 (0.77–0.91) (P < 0.01). The median HBF increased from 32 (18–46) to 88 (59–98) mL/min (P < 0.01). We conclude that ISB enhances arterial blood flow and decreases arterial resistance.