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Regional anesthesia for scapular fracture surgery: an educational review of anatomy and techniques
  1. Kartik Sonawane,
  2. J Balavenkatasubramanian,
  3. Hrudini Dixit,
  4. Harshitha Tayi and
  5. Vipin Kumar Goel
  1. Anaesthesiology, Ganga Medical Centre and Hospitals Pvt Ltd, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India
  1. Correspondence to Dr J Balavenkatasubramanian, Anaesthesiology, Ganga Medical Centre and Hospitals Pvt Ltd, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, India; drbalavenkat{at}gmail.com

Abstract

Scapular fractures are very rare, and those requiring surgical interventions are even rarer. Most scapula surgeries are done under general anesthesia with or without the regional anesthesia (RA) technique as an adjunct. Since scapular innervation is complicated, a thorough review of the relevant anatomy is warranted. In this RAPM educational article, we aimed to summarize the target nerves and blocks needed to optimize analgesia or even to provide surgical anesthesia for scapula surgeries. In this review, we are describing an algorithmic “identify-select-combine” approach, which enables the anesthesiologist to understand detailed innervation of the scapula and to obtain a procedure-specific RA technique. Procedure-specific RA would probably be the way forward for defining future RA practices.

  • ambulatory care
  • nerve block
  • pain management
  • regional anesthesia
  • analgesia

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Footnotes

  • Contributors KBS conceived the idea with the help of HD and HT and collaborated with JBS in developing the manuscript. VG provided guidance throughout the entire process.

  • Funding The authors have not declared a specific grant for this research from any funding agency in the public, commercial or not-for-profit sectors.

  • Competing interests None declared.

  • Patient consent for publication Not required.

  • Provenance and peer review Not commissioned; externally peer reviewed.