Interscalene brachial plexus block anesthesia for the modified Bristow procedure

Administration of local anesthetic agents into the in terscalene space usually provides adequate anesthe sia for surgical procedures on the glenohumeral joint. The anatomic basis and anesthetic technique of inter scalene brachial plexus block are described. A retro spective evaluation of 65 modified Bristow procedures is presented, in which 46 procedures performed under this form of regional anesthesia were compared with the 19 that had primary administration of general anesthesia. Those patients who had regional anesthe sia had, on the average, a shorter hospital stay, sig nificantly less blood loss, and presumably the advan tages of local anesthesia. It is suggested that inter scalene brachial plexus block be considered as a viable alternative to general anesthesia for the modi fied Bristow procedure.