Ensuring the effectiveness and safety of peripheral blockades

Adequate analgesia determines the success of the performed surgical intervention. In modern surgery, most of postoperative complications are directly related to ineffective therapy of pain syndrome in the perioperative period. The main principle of modern analgesia is its multicomponence, when analgesia, neurovegetative blockade and relaxation are achieved and potentiated by different drugs and methods. The blockade of nociceptive impulses with a local anesthetic at the transmission stage provides effective, targeted analgesia, hyporefl exia and muscle relaxation, prevents the sensitization of neuroaxial structures, hyperalgesia and the development of postoperative chronic pain syndrome. At the same time, providing analgesia with drugs of central action leads to the ineffectiveness of therapy in 80 % of cases, which has serious consequences.The aim. According to the literature review, to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of peripheral blockades on the example of performing a blockade of the pterygopalatine ganglion.Conclusion. The pterygopalatine blockade has broad indications for use in ophthalmology, which is explained by the complex structure of the pterygopalatine ganglion and the possibility of simultaneous infl uence on sympathetic, parasympathetic and nociceptive innervation. All the presented methods of pterygopalatine blockade performance have their advantages and disadvantages. Ultrasound navigation eliminates technical difficulties and the possibility of damage of the pterygopalatine fossa anatomical structures, ensuring the effectiveness and safety of the pterygopalatine blockade.

Optimization of Local Anesthesia during Radical Maxillary Sinusotomy in Dental Patients

The purpose of the study was to give a clinical evaluation of the effectiveness of endonasal blockade of the nasopalatine nerve in different ways during radical maxillary sinusotomy in dental patients. Materials and methods. Clinical observations were performed in 50 patients diagnosed with chronic odontogenic maxillary sinusitis. Radical maxillary sinusotomy was performed under local potentiated anesthesia. All patients underwent anesthesia on the maxilla according to classical methods. Patients, depending on the methods of endonasal blockade of the nasopalatine nerve, were divided into two clinical groups: the main (24 people) and the comparison group (26 people). Patients of the main group underwent endonasal blockade of the nasopalatine nerve at the site of its branch from the pterygopalatine ganglion. In patients of the comparison group, the blockade of this nerve was performed before its entry into the incisal canal. The effectiveness of anesthesia was evaluated for clinical and autonomic manifestations of pain stress. Results and discussion. During the removal of polyps and pathological granulations from the mucous membrane of the maxillary sinus in patients of the main group there was no pain, no emotional-motor and autonomic manifestations of pain stress, which confirmed the effectiveness of the endonasal method of anesthesia of the nasopalatine nerve. In patients of the comparison group during similar surgical manipulations the full effect of local anesthesia was achieved in 50.0% of cases (χ2 – 8.065, р = 0.005). These were patients who had hypopneumatized or moderately pneumatized types of maxillary sinuses. The rest of the patients during the operation had emotional – motor and autonomic manifestations of pain stress during the removal of pathologically altered mucous membrane located on the medial wall of the maxillary sinus. Conclusion. Complete anesthesia of the mucous membrane, maxillary sinus, regardless of the degree of its pneumatization is achieved during the usage of endonasal blockade of the nasopalatine nerve at the site of its branch from the pterygopalatine ganglion during radical maxillary sinusotomy in dental patients. Anesthesia of the nasopalatine nerve in the lower nasal passage, before its entry into the incisal canal, allows painless surgery only in patients with hypopneumatized maxillary sinuses and in most patients with moderate pneumatization

Regional blockade for prolonged anesthesia in enucleation and evisceration

Regional anesthesia is widely used in ophthalmology both as an independent method and in combination. Retrobulbar anesthesia has risks of complications and is undesirable in the surgical treatment of choroidal melanoma due to the risk of metastasis of tumor cells when it is performed. Therefore, it is necessary to search for alternative methods of regional blockades in order to create prolonged anesthesia. Purpose. To develop and evaluate the clinical efficacy of pterygopalatine blockade as a component of combined method of anesthesia for evisceration or enucleation of the eyeball. Methods. A comparative analysis of the effectiveness of intraoperative anesthesia and the course of postoperative period was carried out in patients of two clinical groups formed depending on the method of anesthesia. Results. Intraoperative monitoring of hemodynamics in the groups did not differ. The nature of pain in the patients of the compared groups in the postoperative period had significant differences in presence and intensity of pain on the scale of verbal sensations. Discussion. Use of pterygopalatine blockade with levobupivacaine in combination with dexamethasone as an adjuvant allows getting a prolonged analgesic, anti-inflammatory and decongestant effect. This makes it possible to avoid the use of opioid analgesics in the early postoperative period, that is, to avoid such systemic side effects as nausea, dizziness, and in rare cases vomiting, which generally improves the quality of the postoperative period. Conclusions. Use of pterygopalatine ganglion blockade with local prolonged-acting anesthetic levobupivacaine and dexamethasone as an adjuvant based on inhaled anesthesia with sevoflurane provides safe and effective anesthesia in patients with evisceration or enucleation of the eyeball, both in the intra- and postoperative period. Key words: enucleation; evisceration; pterygopalatine blockade; dexamethasone.

Treatment of postdural puncture headache: clinical case

The article describes a clinical case of the successful use of transnasal pterygopalatine ganglion blockade for the treatment of postdural puncture headache. The conditions for the application of this technique, the mechanism of its action, and the results are discussed. Results reveal the simplicity of the technical implementation of pterygopalatine ganglion blockade and the almost absent contraindications to its use, except for cases involving individual intolerance to topical anesthetic drugs. Hence, the technique can be an effective method for the complex therapy of postpunctional pain.

Greater superficial petrosal nerve and its surgical importance: a review

The greater superficial petrosal nerve (GSPN) is an important but often underappreciated branch of the facial nerve. The GSPN is a mixed nerve which contains both sensory and parasympathetic fibers. It serves as the motor root of the pterygopalatine (sphenopalatine) ganglion. GSPN has a long course which passes across the middle skull base between the petrous bone and dura mater and running through the foramen lacerum. It then incorporates to the deep petrosal nerve and crosses along the pterygoid canal to the pterygopalatine ganglion. The postganglionic nerve fibers innervates the lacrimal glands, nasal mucosa and palatal mucosal glands via branches of the zygomatic nerve/zygomaticotemporal branch, sphenopalatine, greater palatine, lesser palatine nerves and pharyngeal nerve. Surgical anatomy of the GSPN nerve is often unfamiliar to many clinicians. As this nerve is usually unrecognized without use of high resolution microscope or endoscope, its anatomical knowledge is essential for surgeons basically otologists and other head and neck surgeon to minimize the risk of injury during surgical intervention. This review article surely increases the precise knowledge of the GSPN including its embryology, surgical anatomy, blood supply, relations with other structures and imaging.

Anatomical Variants of Post-ganglionic Fibers within the Pterygopalatine Fossa: Implications for Endonasal Skull Base Surgery

Objectives The vidian nerve provides parasympathetic innervation to the nasal cavity and the lacrimal gland. Previous anatomic studies have primarily focused on preservation or severance of the vidian nerve proximal to the pterygopalatine ganglion (PPG). This study aimed to assess its neural fibers within the pterygopalatine fossa after synapsing at the PPG, and to explore potential clinical implications for endoscopic endonasal skull base surgery. Methods An endonasal transpterygoid approach was performed on eight cadaveric specimens (16 sides). The PPG and maxillary nerve within the pterygopalatine fossa were divided. The vidian nerve was traced retrograde into the foramen lacerum, and postganglionic fibers distal to the PPG were dissected following the zygomatic nerve into the orbit. Potential communicating branches between the ophthalmic nerve (V1) and the PPG were also explored. Results All sides showed a plexus of neural communications between the PPG and the maxillary nerve. The zygomatic nerve exits the maxillary nerve close to the foramen rotundum, piercing the orbitalis muscle to enter the orbit in all sides. The zygomatic nerve was identified running beneath the inferior rectus muscle toward a lateral direction. In 7/16 sides (43.75%), a connecting branch between V1 and the pterygopalatine ganglion was observed. Conclusion Neural communications between the PPG and the maxillary nerve were present in all specimens. A neural branch from V1 to the PPG potentially contributes additional postganglionic parasympathetic function to the lacrimal gland.

OPTIMIZATION OF LOCAL ANESTHESIA OF DENTAL PATIENTS DURING CYSTECTOMIES OF RADICULAR CYSTS THAT HAVE GROWN INTO THE MAXILLARY SINUS OR NASAL CAVITY

The aim: To provide clinical evaluation of the effectiveness of anesthesia for cystectomy of radicular cysts that have grown into the maxillary si-nus or nasal cavity using different techniques of endonasal block-ade of the nasopalatine nerve. Materials and methods: Clinical observations were conducted on 52 patients of different age and sex. These patients were diagnosed with large radicular cysts (more than 3.0 cm in diameter) that had grown into the maxillary sinus (33 cases) or into the nasal cavity (19 cases). The surgical excisions of cysts (oroantral cystectomies) were performed un-der local potentiated anesthesia. Patients were divided into two clinical groups, depending on the methods used for endonasal blockade of the nasopalatine nerve: the main and the control group. Patients in the main group underwent endonasal blockade of the nasopalatine nerve at the point of its emergence from the pterygopalatine ganglion. In the control group, the neural blockade was performed at the entry of this nerve into the incisive canal. Pain sensitivity and perception in patients were studied using subjective and objective methods. The data was analyzed by means of the Pearson’s chi – square tests. Results: During the enucleation of radicular cysts that grew into the inferior nasal meatus and maxillary sinus in patients of the main group there was no pain observed. There were no manifestations of pain-induced stress neither from the side of autonomic system, nor physical or emotional manifestations of pain, which confirmed the effectiveness of nasopalatine nerve anesthesia. In patients of the control group during similar operation the full effect of local anesthesia was achieved in 56.0% of cases (χ2 – 9,270, р = 0,003). The rest of the patients during cystectomies showed some signs of pain-induced stress from the side of autonomic system or in the form of physical or emotional manifestations. Conclusions: Endonasal blockade of the nasopalatine nerve at the point of its emergence from the pterygopalatine ganglion invariably provided a complete analgesia during enucleation of radicular cysts that have grown into the maxillary sinus or nasal cavity. Anesthesia of the nasopalatine nerve at its entry into the incisive canal allows pain-less cystectomy of radicular cysts that have spread to the front of the inferior nasal meatus from the front teeth.