LOWER EXTREMITY BLOCKS

Course overview

THE LOWER EXTREMITY IS INNERVATED BY THE LUMBOSACRAL PLEXUS, COMPRISING THE L1 TO S4 NERVE ROOTS. UNLIKE THE BRACHIAL PLEXUS, THE LUMBOSACRAL PLEXUS IS NOT EASILY BLOCKED WITH A SINGLE-INJECTION TECHNIQUE. AS TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS HAVE INCREASED THE NUMBER OF OUTPATIENT PROCEDURES, PREVIOUSLY-USED NEURAXIAL TECHNIQUES HAVE BECOME LESS DESIRABLE. SIMULTANEOUSLY, ULTRASOUND-GUIDED TECHNIQUES HAVE IMPROVED THE IDENTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL NERVES AND THE ACCURACY OF LOWER EXTREMITY NERVE BLOCKS. ALTHOUGH TWO OR MORE SEPARATE INJECTIONS ARE USUALLY REQUIRED FOR A COMPLETE LOWER EXTREMITY BLOCK, THIS IS OFTEN THE BEST OPTION FOR OUTPATIENTS. LOWER EXTREMITY NERVE BLOCKS HAVE GAINED POPULARITY AND ARE WIDELY USED IN SITUATIONS REQUIRING LOWER-EXTREMITY ANESTHESIA OR ANALGESIA. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ROLE OF LOWER EXTREMITY NERVE BLOCK IN PROVIDING ANESTHESIA AND ANALGESIA TO THE LOWER EXTREMITY AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN PROVIDING CARE TO PATIENTS UNDERGOING THESE PROCEDURES.