COMPARISON OF THE CLINICAL EFFICACY OF 3 PERIVASCULAR TECHNIQUES FOR AXILLARY BRACHIAL-PLEXUS BLOCK

Background and Objectives. This study compared the efficacy of three p erivascular techniques of axillary block. Methods. In group 1, all of the local anesthetic was injected after advancing the needle through t he axillary artery (back of artery, n = 20); in group 2, after withdra wing slightly from the artery (front of artery, n = 20); and in group 3, half of the anesthetic was injected after advancing through and hal f after withdrawing from the axillary artery (half and half, n = 20). The local anesthetic used for the axillary block was 50 ml of 1.5% mep ivacaine with epinephrine 1:200,000. Results. The group did not differ significantly in the incidence of analgesia or anesthesia expected in the median nerve distributed, where there was a significantly lower i ncidence of anesthesia in the back of the artery group. This group als o has a slower onset of anesthesia for the median and the medial anteb rachial cutaneous nerves. Conclusions. There was no significant differ ence in the number of patients requiring supplementation, with five pa tients in the back group (25%), three patients in the front group (15% ), and one patient in the half and half group (5%) requiring supplemen tation for the surgical procedure.