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Sciatic and Popliteal Nerve Blocks

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Pediatric Atlas of Ultrasound- and Nerve Stimulation-Guided Regional Anesthesia

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Abstract

Proximal sciatic nerve (L4–S3) blocks provide anesthesia/analgesia to the posterior aspect of the thigh, hamstring muscles, part of the hip and knee joints, and the entire leg below the knee, with the exception of the portion supplied by the saphenous nerve (anteromedial aspect of the lower leg and foot). The sciatic nerve bifurcates into its two branches – the tibial nerve and common peroneal nerve – as it courses in the popliteal fossa. Sciatic nerve blocks at a distal region will provide anesthesia/analgesia to the lower leg. Compared to central neuraxial blocks (e.g., caudal or epidural), peripheral techniques will have fewer undesirable side effects such as nausea and vomiting, urinary retention, hypotension, and bilateral muscle weakness and may increase the duration of analgesia. There are different approaches to anesthetizing the sciatic nerve at different locations along its course which are described in this chapter.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, 8440-112 St NW, 2-150 Clinical Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G3, Canada

    Heather Y. Z. Ting MD, FRCPC

  2. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Stollery Children’s Hospital/University of Alberta Hospital, 2-150 Clinical Sciences Building, Edmonton, AB, T6G 2G3, Canada

    Ban C. H. Tsui Dip Eng,BSc,B Pharm,MSc,MD,FRCPC

Authors
  1. Heather Y. Z. Ting MD, FRCPC
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  2. Ban C. H. Tsui Dip Eng,BSc,B Pharm,MSc,MD,FRCPC
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ban C. H. Tsui Dip Eng,BSc,B Pharm,MSc,MD,FRCPC .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Stollery Children's Hospital/University of Alberta Hospital, Cross Cancer Institute, Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Albertra, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

    Ban C.H. Tsui

  2. Department of Pediatric Anesthesiology and Feinberg School of Medicine, Ann and Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago and Northwestern University, Chicago, Illinois, USA

    Santhanam Suresh

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Ting, H.Y.Z., Tsui, B.C.H. (2016). Sciatic and Popliteal Nerve Blocks. In: Tsui, B., Suresh, S. (eds) Pediatric Atlas of Ultrasound- and Nerve Stimulation-Guided Regional Anesthesia. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79964-3_26

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-0-387-79964-3_26

  • Publisher Name: Springer, New York, NY

  • Print ISBN: 978-0-387-79963-6

  • Online ISBN: 978-0-387-79964-3

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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