REGIONAL ANAESTHESIA Concomitant infraclavicular plus distal median, radial, and ulnar nerve blockade accelerates upper extremity anaesthesia and improves block consistency compared with infraclavicular block alone

Editor’s key points † The hypothesis tested was that the addition of distal nerve blocks to an infraclavicular block would speed up onset. † Infraclavicular block with or without distal blocks of the median, ulnar, and radial nerves were compared using the same total dose of local anaesthetic. † A more rapid onset and more consistent block occurred in the combined group. Background. This prospective, randomized, observer-blinded study tested the hypothesis that a combined ultrasound-guided block of the infraclavicular brachial plexus plus distal median, radial, and ulnar nerves would accelerate upper extremity anaesthesia compared with infraclavicular block alone.