Brachial Plexus Blocks for Upper Extremity Orthopaedic Surgery

Benjamin G. Bruce JAAOS January 2012; 20 (1) Abstract

Regional anesthesia of the upper extremity has several clinical applications and is reported to have several advantages over general anesthesia for orthopaedic surgery. These advantages, such as improved postoperative pain, decreased postoperative opioid administration, and reduced recovery time, have led to widespread acceptance of a variety of regional nerve blocks. Interscalene block is the most commonly used block for shoulder surgery. Other brachial plexus nerve blocks used for orthopaedic surgery of the upper extremity are supraclavicular, infraclavicular, and axillary. Several practical and theoretical aspects of regional nerve blocks must be considered to optimize the beneficial effects and minimize the risk of complications.