Intravenous Dexamethasone to Increase the Analgesic Duration of Interscalene Block

Overview

Interscalene brachial plexus block provides excellent but time limited analgesia. Intravenous dexamethasone increases the analgesic duration of a single-shot interscalene block with ropivacaine for shoulder arthroscopic surgery. We want to evaluate the effect of two different doses (dexamethasone 10 mg i.v. vs 4 mg i.v. vs placebo) on the analgesic duration of a single-shot inter scalene block. Our study hypothesis is that dexamethasone 4 mg i.v. is equivalent to dexamethasone10 mg i.v. in prolonging the analgesic duration of a single-shot interscalene block with ropivacaine.

75 patients will be randomly assigned to three groups: * D10: dexamethasone 10 mg I.V. diluted in normal saline 20cc, immediately after inter scalene block * D4: dexamethasone 4 mg I.V. diluted in normal saline 20cc, immediately after inter scalene block * C: control: Normal saline 20cc I.V., immediately after inter scalene block. These patient will be recruited from 3 hospitals, with two surgeons performing the surgeries. All patients will have their surgery under regional anesthesia only provided by the inter scalene plexus block, with ropivacaine 0.5% 20cc. In the postoperative period, patients will be given analgesic medication on an as needed basis. They will be instructed to take the first analgesic medication once postoperative shoulder pain has reached \>3/10. They will note the time and day at which this outcome occurs.

Conditions

Interventions

Eligibility

Locations (3)

Outcomes