Medical Specialty:
Pain Management

Sample Name: Intercostal block - 1


Description: Intercostal block from fourth to tenth intercostal spaces, left. Chest pain secondary to fractured ribs, unmanageable with narcotics.
(Medical Transcription Sample Report)


PREPROCEDURE DIAGNOSIS: Chest pain secondary to fractured ribs, unmanageable with narcotics.

POSTPROCEDURE DIAGNOSIS: Chest pain secondary to fractured ribs, unmanageable with narcotics.

PROCEDURE: Intercostal block from fourth to tenth intercostal spaces, left.

INDICATIONS: I was requested by Dr. X to do an intercostal block on this lady who fell and has fractured ribs, whose chest pain is paralyzing and not responding well to increasing doses of narcotics.

PROCEDURE DETAIL: After obtaining an informed consent with the patient on her bedside, she was placed in the right decubitus position with the left side up. The posterior left chest wall was prepped and draped in the usual fashion and then a mixture of 1% Xylocaine 20 mL and Marcaine 0.25% 20 mL were mixed together and the intercostal spaces from the fourth to the tenth ribs were anesthetized. A total of 30 mL worth of solution was used. I also injected some local anesthetic subcutaneously into an area of contusion in the left lumbar area.

The patient tolerated the procedure well. She had no respiratory distress. Immediately, the patient felt some relief from the pain. Chest x-ray was ordered for the following day.


Keywords: pain management, xylocaine, marcaine, intercostal spaces, intercostal block, fractured ribs, intercostal, fractured, narcotics, chest,