AXILLARY BLOCK - A PROSPECTIVE-STUDY OF T HE SUCCESS OF BLOCKADE USING A NERVE STIMULATOR

Axillary block is a common anaesthetic technique for operations on the hand and forearm. In our hospital, with many trainees in anaesthesia, only 250-300 axillary blocks per year are performed by about 30 colle agues. This implies a small number of blocks for each anaesthetist. Th e present study was designed to assess whether it is possible to teach this technique and use it with an adequate degree of success under th ese conditions. We used a nerve stimulator and studied whether the suc cess of the block under these conditions is independent of anaesthetis t's experience in this technique. Furthermore, we examined other facto rs involved in the success of the block.