ISSN: 2155-6148
Lindsay MacKenzie
Tanzania
Review Article
Dexamethasone a Promising Adjuvant in Brachial Plexus Anesthesia? A
Systematic Review
Author(s): Christopher Noss, Lindsay MacKenzie and Mark KostashChristopher Noss, Lindsay MacKenzie and Mark Kostash
The benefit of adjuvant dexamethasone in regional anesthesia has recently been the focus of investigation as clinical reports suggest improved block characteristics. However, its use remains off label and few large randomized controlled trials have been completed. A systematic review was undertaken to highlight current research efforts and findings in this area. The authors searched for randomized clinical trials evaluating dexamethasone as admixture in brachial plexus nerve blocks. Eleven trials involving brachial plexus block met inclusion criteria (953 patients, 456 received dexamethasone). Local anesthetic agents studied included lidocaine, mepivacaine, bupivacaine and ropivacaine. Dosing ranged from 4 to 10 mg with the majority of trials using 8 mg (9 trials). Permanent nerve injury or serious complications were not reported in any trial. Trials consistently demonstrated signific.. View More»
DOI:
10.4172/2155-6148.1000421