Research published in the Canadian Journal of Anesthesia detailed the outcomes associated with the use of peripheral nerve blocks in ambulatory shoulder surgery.
The researchers studied 1,623 ambulatory shoulder surgery patients between January 2011 and December 2016, comparing those who received a peripheral nerve block to those who did not. Out of the patients studied, 950 patients received a peripheral nerve block and 211 did not.
The researchers found there wasn't an increased risk for adverse events 30 days following surgery associated with peripheral nerve block use.
"Peripheral nerve blocks in ambulatory shoulder surgery were not associated with a significant difference in a composite of adverse postoperative outcomes. Nevertheless, given the lower than expected incidence and moderate effect size associating PNBs with post-discharge events, future large prospective trials are needed to assess post-discharge outcome," the researchers concluded.