Ultrasound Guidance Is Helpful for Paravertebral Block Performance and Catheter Placement in Patients with Laminectomy after Thoracotomy or Lumbotomy: A Case Series Imaging Study

Pierre Pandin, Samia Rettab, Alphonse Lubansu

Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, Clinic Orthopaedy and Traumatology, Neurosurgery & ENT CUB Erasmus Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.
Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care, CUB Erasmus Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.
Department of Neurosurgery, CUB Erasmus Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.

DOI: 10.4236/ojanes.2013.32018                

Abstract

Today, the ultrasound guidance (USG) in regional anesthesia is gold standard more and more often used for medial or paramedian approaches around to the spine, such as the paravertebral (PV) block. Local anatomical changes may greatly handicap the performance of this type of block. We present clinical, sonographic, and radiological data on successful PV block and catheter placement in four patients with vertebral diseases, targeting thoracotomy or lumbotomy postoperative pain after stabilization of the involved vertebral body and preliminary arthrodesis with laminectomy by the posterior approach. We emphasize the importance of USG in this special context involving local anatomical disturbance.

Keywords

Block; Catheter; Guidance; Laminectomy; Lumbotomy; Paravertebral; Thoracotomy; Ultrasound

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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