BACKGROUND This randomized, double-blinded, placebo-controlled study investigated the efficacy of patient-controlled regional analgesia using an infraclavicular brachial plexus perineural catheter and a portable infusion pump for outpatients undergoing moderately painful, upper extremity orthopedic surgery. METHODS Preoperatively, patients (n = 30) received an infraclavicular nerve block and ...

BACKGROUND Dexmedetomidine extends the duration of nerve block when administered perineurally together with local anesthetics by central and/or peripheral action. In this study, we compared the duration of nerve block between dexmedetomidine and epinephrine as an adjuvant to 1% mepivacaine in infraclavicular brachial plexus block. METHODS Thirty patients, scheduled for upper limb surgery were...

BACKGROUND In this randomized, double-blind study, the authors investigated the efficacy of continuous and patient-controlled ropivacaine infusions via an infraclavicular perineural catheter in ambulatory patients undergoing moderately painful orthopedic surgery at or distal to the elbow. METHODS Preoperatively, patients (n = 30) received an infraclavicular perineural catheter and nerve block...

While the supraclavicular approach to the subclavian vein has been described since 1965, it is generally employed much less often than the "traditional" infraclavicular approach. Although randomized trials are lacking, the best evidence suggests that the supraclavicular approach has a number of important advantages to the infraclavicular approach. The landmarks and relative merits of the proced...

Ultrasound-guidance may help anesthesiologists to perform regional anesthesia in special situations. Bigeleisen reported an uncomplicated infraclavicular block under ultrasound guidance, in a patient having received 5000 U of heparin 2 h before the block [1]. Even if a recent report reminds us that vascular puncture remains still possible during ultrasound guided nerve blocks [2], cases have re...

BACKGROUND Infraclaviculr Brachial plexus (ICBP) block is useful for upper extremity surgery. The aim of this study was to compare the ultrasound (US) technique with the nerve stimulation (NS) technique in their success rates and times to perform ICBP block. METHODS 60 patients undergoing surgery of the upper limb were randomly allocated into two groups (n = 30 per group). Group 1; US, and Gr...