The use of Doppler ultrasound to assist with sciatic nerve blocks.
Twenty consecutive patients requiring surgical procedures on a lower extremity received leg blocks using a modification of Labat's classic approach. A Doppler ultrasound pencil probe was used to identify the dominant arterial structure exiting the sciatic notch with the sciatic nerve. A block needle was inserted in the same orientation as the probe until paraesthesias were elicited; then 25 ml of local anesthetic was injected. Successful block was achieved in one or two attempts in 70% of the patients.
Hullander
M
M
Department of Anesthesiology, Radiology, and Clinical Investigation, Naval Hospital, San Diego, California 92134-5000.
Spillane
W
W
Leivers
D
D
Balsara
Z
Z
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007866:Leg / Q000601:surgery*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D012584:Sciatic Nerve / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects*; D014465:Ultrasonics; D014463:Ultrasonography
D000779:Anesthetics, Local