Axillary Approaches to Brachial Plexus Block: A Comparisonof Stimulator-guided Peripheral Nerve Block with and WithoutUltrasonography Techniques

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to compare stimulator-guided peripheral nerve block with and without ultrasonography techniques to investigate the block procedure time, sensory and motor block onset time, pain related to the block procedure-related pain, and anesthesia-related complications. Methods: Patients were randomized into two groups: The nerve stimulator (NS)-guided technique group (n=30) and the NS with ultrasound (NU)-guided technique group (n=30). One-quarter of the solution prepared with prilocaine 2% and lidocaine 2% with the height/5 formula was injected around each nerve after receiving a motor response between 0.3-0.5 mA. The block procedure time, sensory and motor block onset time, the number of skin punctures, procedure-related preoperative complications, procedure-related postoperative complications, and visual analog scale (VAS) (0-10) scores were recorded. The heart rate, systolic arterial pressure, diastolic arterial pressure, mean arterial pressure, and peripheral oxygen saturation values were noted at 0, 5, 10, 15, 30, 45, 60, 120, and 180 minutes.Results: The block procedure time was similar between them (p>0.05). The number of skin punctures (p=0.001) and VAS (p0.05) except for the motor block of musculocutaneous nerve onset time (p0.05). The number of complications was significantly higher in the NS group (p