Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in
Book cover

Atlas of Ultrasound-Guided Procedures in Interventional Pain Management pp 227–237Cite as

Ultrasound-Guided Nerve Blocks of the Upper Extremity

  • Chapter
  • First Online:

  • 4950 Accesses

Abstract

Traditional peripheral nerve block techniques are performed without image guidance and are based on the identification of surface anatomical landmarks. Anatomical variations among individuals, the small size of target neural structures, and proximity to blood vessels, the lung, and other vital structures make these techniques often difficult, of varying success, and sometimes associated with serious complications.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution.

Chapter
USD   29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD   129.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Learn about institutional subscriptions

References

  1. Martinoli C, Bianchi S, Santacroca E, Pugliese F, Graif M, Derchi LE. Brachial plexus ­sonography: a technique for assessing the root level. AJR Am J Roentgenol. 2002;179:699–702.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  2. Gray’s Anatomy. The Anatomical Basis of Clinical Practice. 39th ed. In: Standring S, ed. Edinburgh: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2005.

    Google Scholar 

  3. Neal JM, Gerancher JC, Hebl JR, et al. Upper extremity regional anesthesia: essentials of our current understanding. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2009;34:134–170.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  4. Urmey WF, Grossi P, Sharrock NE, Stanton J, Gloeggler PJ. Digital pressure during interscalene block is clinically ineffective in preventing anesthetic spread to the cervical plexus. Anesth Analg. 1996;83:366–370.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Lanz E, Theiss D, Jankovic D. The extent of blockade following various techniques of brachial plexus block. Anesth Analg. 1983;62:55–58.

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Chan VWS. Applying ultrasound imaging to interscalene brachial plexus block. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2003;28(4):340–343.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  7. Urmey WF, Talts KH, Sharrock NE. One hundred percent incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paresis associated with interscalene brachial plexus anesthesia as diagnosed by ultrasonography. Anesth Analg. 1991;72:498–503.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Riazi S, Carmichael N, Awad I, Holtby RM, McCartney CJL. Effect of local anesthetic volume (20 vs 5 ml) on the efficacy and respiratory consequences of ultrasound-guided interscalene ­brachial plexus block. Br J Anaesth. 2008;101:549–556.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Kapral S, Greher M, Huber G, et al. Ultrasonographic guidance improves the success rate of interscalene brachial plexus blockade. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2008;33:253–258.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  10. Liu SS, Zayas VM, Gordon MA, et al. A prospective, randomized, controlled trial comparing ultrasound versus nerve stimulator guidance for interscalene block for ambulatory shoulder ­surgery for postoperative neurological symptoms. Anesth Analg. 2009;109:265–271.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  11. Brown DL, Cahill DR, Bridenbaugh LD. Supraclavicular nerve block: anatomic analysis of a method to prevent pneumothorax. Anesth Analg. 1993;76:530–534.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Perlas A, Lobo G, Lo N, Brull R, Chan V, Karkhanis R. Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block. Outcome of 510 consecutive cases. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2009;34:171–176.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  13. Soares LG, Brull R, Lai J, Chan VW. Eight ball, corner pocket: the optimal needle position for ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2007;32:94–95.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  14. Duggan E, El Beheiry H, Perlas A, et al. Minimum effective volume of local anesthetic for ­ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2009;34:215–218.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Beach ML, Sites BD, Gallagher JD. Use of a nerve stimulator does not improve the efficacy of ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block. J Clin Anesth. 2006;18:580–584.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  16. Sauter AR, Smith HJ, Stubhaug A, Dodgson MS, Klaastad O. Use of magnetic resonance ­imaging to define the anatomical location closest to all three cords of the infraclavicular brachial plexus. Anesth Analg. 2006;103:1574–1576.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  17. Arcand G, Williams S, Chouinard P, et al. Ultrasound guided infraclavicular versus supra­clavicular block. Anesth Analg. 2005;101:886–890.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  18. Sandhu NS, Manne JS, Medabalmi PK, Capan LM. Sonographically guided infraclavicular ­brachial plexus block in adults: a retrospective analysis of 1146 cases. J Ultrasound Med. 2006;25:1555–1561.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  19. Marhofer P, Sitzwohl C, Greher M, Kapral S. Ultrasound guidance for infraclavicular brachial plexus anesthesia in children. Anesthesia. 2004;59:642–646.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Porter J, Mc Cartney C, Chan V. Needle placement and injection posterior to the axillary artery may predict successful infraclavicular brachial plexus block: a report of three cases. Can J Anaesth. 2005;52:69–73.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Bigeleisen P, Wilson M. A comparison of two techniques for ultrasound guided infraclavicular block. Br J Anesth. 2006;96:502–507.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Koscielniak-Nielsen ZJ, Rasmussen H, Hesselbjerg L. Pneumothorax after an ultrasound guided lateral sagittal infraclavicular block. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2008;52:1176–1177.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Tran DQ, Charghi R, Finlayson RJ. The “double bubble” sign for successful infraclavicular ­brachial plexus blockade. Anesth Analg. 2006;103:1048–1049.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  24. Bloc S, Garnier T, komly B, et al. Spread of injectate associated with radial or median nerve-type motor response during infraclavicular brachial plexus block: an ultrasound evaluation. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2007;32:130–135.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  25. Sandhu NS, Bahniwal CS, Capan LM. Feasibility of an infraclavicular block with a reduced volume of lidocaine with sonographic guidance. J Ultrasound Med. 2006;25(1):51–56.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  26. Retzl G, Kapral S, Greher M, et al. Ultrasonographic findings of the axillary part of the brachial plexus. Anesth Analg. 2001;92:1271–1275.

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Spence B, Sites B, Beach M. Ultrasound-guided musculocutaneous nerve block: a description of a novel technique. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2005;30(2):198–201.

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  28. Lo N, Brull R, Perlas A, et al. Evolution of ultrasound guided axillary brachial plexus blockade: retrospective analysis of 662 blocks. Can J Anaesth. 2008;55:408–413.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  29. O’Donnell BD, Iohom G. An estimation of the minimum effective anesthetic volume of 2% lidocaine in ultrasound-guided axillary brachial plexus block. Anesthesiology. 2009;111:25–29.

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesia, University of Toronto, Toronto Western Hospital, 399 Bathurst Street, MP 2-405, Toronto, ON, Canada, M5T 2S8

    Anahi Perlas

Authors
  1. Anahi Perlas
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Sheila Riazi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Cyrus C. H. Tse
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Anahi Perlas .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Summa Western Reserve Hospital, Center for Pain Medicine, Cuyahoga Falls, 44223, Ohio, USA

    Samer N. Narouze

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2011 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Perlas, A., Riazi, S., Tse, C.C.H. (2011). Ultrasound-Guided Nerve Blocks of the Upper Extremity. In: Narouze, S. (eds) Atlas of Ultrasound-Guided Procedures in Interventional Pain Management. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1681-5_17

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-1681-5_17

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4419-1679-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4419-1681-5

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation