title: Effect of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on onset of axillary plexus block.
abstract: We examined the effect of high frequency transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation on the onset of brachial plexus block. Three groups of patients scheduled for surgery of the hand had a local anaesthetic block performed with 40 ml mepivacaine 1.5% using the axillary approach. After injection of the local anaesthetic transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation was applied for 15 min either to the median nerve or the ulnar nerve; no stimulation was applied in the control group. Before and for 45 min after, the injection of local anaesthetic touch perception, pin prick, motor strength and skin temperature were tested by a blinded investigator in the areas supplied by the median, musculocutaneous, radial and ulnar nerves. There were no differences in the onset of block between the groups. Thus, the frequency-dependent action of local anaesthetics could not be demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Heinrich-Heine-University Düsseldorf, Germany.
authors.forename: M F
authors.initials: MF
authors.lastname: Stevens
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Linstedt
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Neruda
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Lipfert
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wulf
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000494:pharmacology; D001917:Brachial Plexus; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve; D008619:Mepivacaine / Q000494:pharmacology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009068:Movement / Q000187:drug effects; D009407:Nerve Block; D012677:Sensation / Q000187:drug effects; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D012881:Skin Temperature / Q000187:drug effects; D013997:Time Factors; D004561:Transcutaneous Electric Nerve Stimulation; D014459:Ulnar Nerve
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008619:Mepivacaine