An unusual case of hoarseness of voice after left supraclavicular brachial plexus block

Abstract

Supraclavicular brachial plexus block (SBPB) is a commonly used regional anesthetic technique for upper limb surgeries in orthopaedic patients. It provides intraoperative anesthesia and postoperative analgesia. SBPB can be administered using either a landmark approach or ultrasound guidance (USG). The use of ultrasound has reduced the complications associated with the block by providing excellent real-time visualization of the pleura, vessels, and plexus in relation to needle insertion. However, complications can still arise even with USG-guided block if a large volume of local anesthetics is used. In fact, a large volume is not necessary when performing USG-guided blocks.We report a case of a 25-year-old male who presented with hoarseness of voice after receiving a USG-guided supraclavicular block (left side) due to recurrent laryngeal nerve (RLN) block. While RLN block is more common in interscalene blocks, it is a rare complication in SBPB, with very few reported cases of hoarseness of voice due to RLN block after SBPB.