Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Ultrasound-Guided Interscalene and Supraclavicular Blocks

  • Chapter
  • First Online:
Anesthesia of the Upper Limb

  • 1471 Accesses

Abstract

The ultrasound-guided nerve block technique has been in use now for about 15 years, and its diffusion is steadily growing with optimal clinical results. The main advantage in comparison with the other techniques consists in the direct visualization of the local anesthetic spreading around the nervous structures to be blocked. The ultrasound guidance also allows us to follow in real time what happens under the skin layer, with a close control on the needle approaching its target, thus reducing the risk of damage to any sensitive anatomical structures, such as blood vessels or the pleura.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this chapter

Log in via an institution
Chapter
USD 29.95
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
eBook
USD 89.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Available as EPUB and PDF
  • Read on any device
  • Instant download
  • Own it forever
Softcover Book
USD 119.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Compact, lightweight edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info
Hardcover Book
USD 169.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • Durable hardcover edition
  • Dispatched in 3 to 5 business days
  • Free shipping worldwide - see info

Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout

Purchases are for personal use only

Institutional subscriptions

Bibliography

  • Abrahams MS, Panzer O, Atchabahian A, Horn JL, Brown AR (2008) Case report: limitation of local anesthetic spread during ultrasound-guided interscalene block. Description of an anatomic variant with clinical correlation. Reg Anesth Pain Med 33(4):357–359

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Aguirre J, Ekatodramis G, Ruland P, Borgeat A (2009) Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block: is it really safer? Reg Anesth Pain Med 34(6):622

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Antonakakis JG, Sites BD, Shiffrin J (2009) Ultrasound-guided posterior approach for the placement of a continuous interscalene catheter. Reg Anesth Pain Med 34(1):64–68

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Bohannon DS (2009) Ultrasound guidance: posterior approach to brachial plexus nerve roots, trunks. Reg Anesth Pain Med 34(6):609

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brull R, Chan VW, McCartney CJ, Perlas A, Xu D (2007) Ultrasound detects intraneural injection. Anesthesiology 106(6):1244

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Brull R, Perlas A, Cheng PH, Chan VW (2008) Minimizing the risk of intravascular injection during ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blockade. Anesthesiology 109(6):1142

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Borgeat A, Capdevila X (2007) Neurostimulation/ultrasonography: the Trojan war will not take place. Anesthesiology 106(5):896–898

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Casati A, Danelli G, Baciarello M, Corradi M, Leone S, Di Cianni S, Fanelli G (2007) A prospective, randomized comparison between ultrasound and nerve stimulation guidance for multiple injection axillary brachial plexus block. Anesthesiology 106(5):992–996

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Chan VW (2003) Applying ultrasound imaging to interscalene brachial plexus block. Reg Anesth Pain Med 28(4):340–343

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Chin KJ, Niazi A, Chan V (2008) Anomalous brachial plexus anatomy in the supraclavicular region detected by ultrasound. Anesth Analg 107(2):729–731

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Cornish PB, Leaper CJ, Nelson G, Anstis F, McQuillan C, Stienstra R (2007) Avoidance of phrenic nerve paresis during continuous supraclavicular regional anesthesia. Anesthesia 62(4):354–358

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Cornish P (2009) Supraclavicular block–new perspectives. Reg Anesth Pain Med 34(6):607–608

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Duggan E, El Beheiry H, Perlas A, Lupu M, Nuica A, Chan VW, Brull R (2009) Minimum effective volume of local anesthetic for ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Reg Anesth Pain Med 34(3):215–218

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Fredrickson MJ, Kilfoyle DH (2009) Neurological complication analysis of 1,000 ultrasound guided peripheral nerve blocks for elective orthopaedic surgery: a prospective study. Anesthesia 64(8):836–844

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ganesh A (2009) Interscalene brachial plexus block-anatomic considerations. Reg Anesth Pain Med 34(5):525

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Hadzic A, Sala-Blanch X, Xu D (2008) Ultrasound guidance may reduce but not eliminate complications of peripheral nerve blocks. Anesthesiology 108(4):557–558

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kapral S, Greher M, Huber G, Willschke H, Kettner S, Kdolsky R, Marhofer P (2008) Ultrasonographic guidance improves the success rate of interscalene brachial plexus blockade. Reg Anesth Pain Med 33(3):253–258

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kessler J, Gray AT (2007) Sonography of scalene muscle anomalies for brachial plexus block. Reg Anesth Pain Med 32(2):172–173

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Klaastad O, Sauter AR, Dodgson MS (2009) Brachial plexus block with or without ultrasound guidance. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol 22(5):655–660

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mariano ER, Afra R, Loland VJ, Sandhu NS, Bellars RH, Bishop ML, Cheng GS, Choy LP, Maldonado RC, Ilfeld BM (2009) Continuous interscalene brachial plexus block via an ultrasound-guided posterior approach: a randomized, triple-masked, placebo-controlled study. Anesth Analg 108(5):1688–1694

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Perlas A, Lobo G, Lo N, Brull R, Chan VW, Karkhanis R (2009) Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block: outcome of 510 consecutive cases. Reg Anesth Pain Med 34(2):171–176

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perlas A, Chan VW, Simons M (2003) Brachial plexus examination and localization using ultrasound and electrical stimulation: a volunteer study. Anesthesiology 99(2):429–435

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Perlas A, Niazi A, McCartney C, Chan V, Xu D, Abbas S (2006) The sensitivity of motor response to nerve stimulation and paresthesia for nerve localization as evaluated by ultrasound. Reg Anesth Pain Med 31(5):440–445

    Google Scholar 

  • Plunkett AR, Brown DS, Rogers JM, Buckenmaier CC 3rd (2006) Supraclavicular continuous peripheral nerve block in a wounded soldier: when ultrasound is the only option. Br J Anaesth 97(5):715–717

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Renes SH, Rettig HC, Gielen MJ, Wilder-Smith OH, van Geffen GJ (2009) Ultrasound-guided low-dose interscalene brachial plexus block reduces the incidence of hemidiaphragmatic paresis. Reg Anesth Pain Med 34(5):498–502

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Renes SH, Spoormans HH, Gielen MJ, Rettig HC, van Geffen GJ (2009) Hemidiaphragmatic paresis can be avoided in ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block. Reg Anesth Pain Med 34(6):595–599

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sites BD, Chan VW, Neal JM, Weller R, Grau T, Koscielniak-Nielsen ZJ, Ivani G (2009) American society of regional anesthesia and pain medicine; european society of regional anesthesia and pain therapy joint committee. The American society of regional anesthesia and pain medicine and the European society of regional anesthesia and pain therapy joint committee recommendations for education and training in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia. Reg Anesth Pain Med 34(1):40–46

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sites BD, Spence BC, Gallagher J, Beach ML, Antonakakis JG, Sites VR, Hartman GS (2008) Regional anesthesia meets ultrasound: a specialty in transition. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 52(4):456–466

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Soares LG, Brull R, Lai J, Chan VW (2007) Eight ball, corner pocket: the optimal needle position for ultrasound-guided supraclavicular block. Reg Anesth Pain Med 32(1):94–95

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Soffer RJ, Rosenblatt MA (2007) Teaching ultrasound-guided interscalene blocks: description of a simple and effective technique. J Clin Anesth 19(3):241–242

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Tsui B (2007) Ultrasound-guidance and nerve stimulation: implications for the future practice of regional anesthesia. Can J Anaesth 54(3):165–170

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • van Geffen GJ, Rettig HC, Koornwinder T, Renes S, Gielen MJ (2007) Ultrasound-guided training in the performance of brachial plexus block by the posterior approach: an observational study. Anesthesia 62(10):1024–1048

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Walker KJ, McGrattan K, Aas-Eng K, Smith AF (2009) Ultrasound guidance for peripheral nerve blockade. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 4:CD006459

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine DiMed Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Unit, University of Padua, Padua, Italy

    Astrid U. Behr

Authors
  1. Astrid U. Behr
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Astrid U. Behr .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Anesthesiology, Resuscitation and Pain Therapy, University of Verona, Verona, Italy

    Fernando Alemanno

  2. Catholic University of the Sacred Heart, Rome, Italy

    Mario Bosco

  3. Pain Therapy Service, Padre Pio Hospital, Mondragone (CE), Italy

    Aldo Barbati

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

Copyright information

© 2014 Springer-Verlag Italia

About this chapter

Cite this chapter

Behr, A.U. (2014). Ultrasound-Guided Interscalene and Supraclavicular Blocks. In: Alemanno, F., Bosco, M., Barbati, A. (eds) Anesthesia of the Upper Limb. Springer, Milano. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5418-9_7

Download citation

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-88-470-5418-9_7

  • Published:

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Milano

  • Print ISBN: 978-88-470-5417-2

  • Online ISBN: 978-88-470-5418-9

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

Publish with us

Policies and ethics

Search

Navigation