INCIDENCE AND CLINICAL-SIGNIFICANCE OF HEMIDIAPHRAGMATIC PARESIS IN PATIENTS UNDERGOING CAROTID ENDARTERECTOMY DURING CERVICAL PLEXUS BLOCKANESTHESIA

This study was designed to investigate the incidence and clinical cons equences of hemidiaphragmatic paresis in patients undergoing carotid e ndarterectomy using cervical plexus block anesthesia. In 28 patients, diaphragmatic motion was evaluated by fluoroscopy 20 min after cervica l plexus block with 1% mepivacaine. In 61% of the patients abnormaliti es of diaphragmatic motion were detected. These motion anomalies were associated with a statistically significant elevation of PaCO2. Gender , age, and whether the block was on the left or right side did not app ear to affect the incidence of motion abnormalities after cervical ple xus block anesthesia.