BRACHIAL PLEXUS BLOCK TECHNIQUES

Course overview

BLOCKADE OF THE BRACHIAL PLEXUS IS AN EFFECTIVE METHOD FOR PROVIDING ANESTHESIA TO THE UPPER LIMB FROM THE SHOULDER TO THE FINGERTIPS. THERE ARE MULTIPLE APPROACHES TO BLOCKING THE BRACHIAL PLEXUS, DEPENDENT ON THE BLOCK INDICATION, SURGERY OR PROCEDURE BEING PERFORMED, PATIENT-SPECIFIC BODY HABITUS, MEDICAL COMORBIDITIES, AND INDIVIDUAL ANATOMY VARIATIONS. THIS REVIEW WILL ADDRESS THE INDICATIONS, PROBE PLACEMENT, AND SONOANATOMY FOR ULTRASOUND-GUIDED INTERSCALENE BLOCK, SUPERIOR TRUNK BLOCK, SUPRACLAVICULAR BRACHIAL PLEXUS BLOCK, INFRACLAVICULAR BRACHIAL PLEXUS BLOCK, AND AXILLARY BRACHIAL PLEXUS BLOCK. THIS ACTIVITY HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE USE OF BRACHIAL PLEXUS BLOCK TECHNIQUES.