In the case of isolated sternal fractures, conservative treatment with analgesics is common, but pain can persist for more than 10 weeks, which can significantly interfere with daily life. Ultrasound-guided paravertebral nerve block is reported to be a successful means of pain control in patients with chest wall injury or rib fracture.
A 70-year-old female patient presented with anterior chest pain that had persisted for 2 weeks despite conservative treatment. Sagittal reconstruction chest computed tomography and sternum lateral oblique x-ray revealed an isolated sternal fracture. An ultrasound-guided bilateral paravertebral nerve block was performed for pain control. After performing the procedure twice at a 1-week interval, the patient reported complete pain alleviation, and no other problems were observed over the 3-month follow-up period.
Ultrasound-guided bilateral paravertebral nerve block can help patients with isolated sternal fractures to manage pain and return to normal activities sooner than with oral analgesics.
In this case report, we describe the use of ultrasound in the administration regional anesthesia for a super-super obese patient. A 23-year-old female patient (height 167.2 cm, weight 191.5 kg, body mass index 68.6 kg/m2) was admitted to the hospital for surgical repair of an anterior talofibular ligament rupture. We used ultrasound to help facilitate the administration of regional anesthesia. In the sagittal view of the lumbar spine, (with the patient in a sitting position) we were able to identify the border between the sacrum and the lumbar vertebral; in the transverse view, we were able to identify the transverse process, posterior dura, vertebral body, and the distance from the skin to the posterior dura. After skin marking, regional anesthesia was successfully performed. Based on this case study, we suggest that ultrasound can be very useful in regional anesthesia for severely obese patients.
Citations
The ᅵink among carotid intimamedia thickness (IMT), vascular elastic property and the disease activity of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is not well defined. We investigated the association between carotid atherosclerosis, elastic properties of the carotid arterial wall and clinical parameters of SLE.
Fifty-one SLE patients and fifty healthy controls were included. Peak systolic global circumferential and posterior radial strains of carotid artery were measured to assess the elastic properties. Beta stiffness index was used as conventional method for the distensibility of the carotid artery. Information concerning SLE duration, cumulative dose of steroids and/or immunosuppressive drug intake was recorded, and SLE activity was assessed by SLE disease activity index (SLEDAI) score.
Carotid plaques were more common in SLE patients. SLE patients with plaques were 㢌der and showed the increased mean ᅵMT, high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs CRP), IgG anti-cardi㢌ipin antibody (aCL), and longer disease duration compared with those without plaques. Peaksyst㢌ic global circumferential and posterior radial strain as well β stiffness index were significantly lower in SLE group. Age, disease duration, hsCRP, IgG aCL showed significant correlations with mean ᅵMT and parameters of carotid elastic property (all P's<0.05).
Carotid atherosclerosis was more common in SLE patients, and carotid arterial stiffness had significant correlation with disease duration, hsCRP and IgG aCL level. Speckle tracking strain imaging is a comparative method for the assessment of elastic properties of carotid artery of SLE patients.