A Stanford University pilot study has concluded that three 10-mL washout aliquots with normal saline are insufficient to reliably reverse phrenic nerve blockade after interscalene nerve blockade. Nevertheless, the investigation, by Ban Tsui, MD, and his colleagues, also found that the saline washout does not lead to a reduction in the analgesic efficacy of the block.
“When we perform the interscalene brachial plexus block, there’s a chance of diaphragmatic paralysis due to the