Ultrasound-guided lumbar selective nerve root block plus T12 paravertebral and sacral plexus block for hip and knee arthroplasty: Three case reports.

RATIONALE: For hip or knee arthroplasty, it is essential to develop a satisfied peripheral nerve block method that will benefit elderly patients or patients who are contraindicated to neuraxial anesthesia.

PATIENTS CONCERNS: Patient in Case 1 suffered from the right intertrochanteric fracture, combined with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease; Patient in Case 2 suffered from hip osteoarthritis; combined with ankylosing spondylitis; Patient in Case 3 suffered from rheumatoid arthritis, combined with ischemic encephalopathy.

DIAGNOSIS: Case 1: Right intertrochanteric fracture, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. Case 2: hip osteoarthritis. Case 3: rheumatoid arthritis.

INTERVENTIONS: Ultrasound-guided lumbar selective nerve root block (SNRB) plus T12 paravertebral and sacral plexus block were performed in 2 patients who received hip arthroplasty and 1 patient who received knee arthroplasty.

OUTCOMES: All patients successfully received surgeries with this peripheral nerve block method and no postoperative complication was reported.

LESSONS: Ultrasound-guided lumbar SNRB plus T12 paravertebral and sacral plexus block not only satisfied the analgesia requirement of surgery, but also reduced the consumption of local anesthetic.