It is well known that patients undergoing shoulder surgery in the Beach Chair Position (BCP) have a potential risk for cerebral ischemia. Using Near-Infrared Spectroscopy (NIRS), this study aimed to test whether cerebral oxygenation in these patients was impaired by brachial plexus block accompanied with general anesthesia. Methods: Ultrasound-guided interscalene brachial plexus block was performed in 26 patients undergoing elective arthroscopic shoulder surgery under general anesthesia. In all

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... subjects, cerebral oxygenation during anesthesia was evaluated by measuring the Tissue Oxygenation Index (TOI) with NIRS. Results: No differences were seen in TOI values between Pre-BCP and Post-BCP periods in both block and non-block sides, despite a decrease in mean blood pressure (P<0.05, repeated measures one-way ANOVA by the Bonferroni post hoc test). Additionally, no differences were seen in TOI values between block and non-block sides at any time point. Conclusion: Changing from the supine position to the BCP did not appear to impair cerebral oxygenation, regardless of brachial plexus block, in patients undergoing shoulder arthroscopy under general anesthesia.