The Lung Sparing Suprascapular Block: A Big Difference Between Day (Surgery) and Night (Admit)
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Christina Street MD, Balkarn Thind MD, Tristan Pham MD, David Auyong MD

Virginia Mason Franciscan Health, Seattle, WA

 

● The interscalene block is a common technique for postoperative analgesia for shoulder surgery but is associated with hemidiaphragmatic paralysis especially in patients with obesity or respiratory comorbidities1,2. ● One method of minimizing diaphragm paresis is performing blocks more distal along the brachial plexus to increase the distance from the phrenic nerve3. ● Performing an anterior suprascapular nerve block has been shown to provide noninferior analgesia and preserve lung function when compared to the interscalene block after major arthroscopic shoulder surgery4.