Synergistic Effect of Perineural Dexamethasone and Dexmedetomidine (Dex-Dex) Prolong Analgesic Effect of a Preoperative Interscalene Block

Fascia Iliaca Block Successfully Prolonged With Dexmedetomidine and Dexamethasone for Pain Control in a Patient Undergoing Total Hip Arthroplasty

Regional anesthesia has found many advocates as enhanced recovery after surgery continues to become a more popular option for procedures such as total hip arthroplasty. Among the many benefits is the better pain control with a reduction or complete elimination of the need for opioids for perioperative pain management. With aims to improve the multi-modal approach to pain management, we present a case demonstrating further improvements in the regional anesthetic technique with the addition of a dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine adjuvant to the local anesthetic injectate. Our case is that of a 65-year-old woman with a history of hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and right hip osteoarthritis undergoing a right total hip arthroplasty who received a preoperative ultrasound-guided fascia iliaca block with the adjuvants dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine added to the injectate. The surgery was uneventful. She did not require any postoperative opioid or non-opioid analgesics, denying any pain for the first three postoperative days.

Synergistic Effect of Perineural Dexamethasone and Dexmedetomidine (Dex-Dex) in Extending the Analgesic Duration of Pectoral Type I and II Blocks

Pectoral type I and II (Pecs I and II) blocks are regional anesthesia methods that have shown to decrease postoperative analgesia after breast surgery. Typically, these blocks consist only of a local anesthetic. We performed preoperative Pecs I and II blocks in a female patient undergoing surgical excision and biopsy of a breast mass. The anesthetic consisted of ropivacaine, dexmedetomidine, and dexamethasone (Dex-Dex). The patient experienced an extended postoperative pain relief period. She did not require any opiates postoperatively. Adding dexmedetomidine and dexamethasone to a local anesthetic for peripheral nerve blocks seems to have a synergistic effect and can extend the duration of pain relief. This combination has the potential to decrease postoperative opiate requirements for analgesia. Further studies need to be conducted to further determine the safety and efficacy of the Dex-Dex block.