title: Anaesthesia for procedures of the hand and elbow.
abstract: The majority of upper extremity surgeries are performed on an ambulatory basis under intravenous regional anaesthesia or brachial plexus blockade. The former technique is easy to perform, has a rapid onset and a high success rate but provides limited post-operative analgesia. Brachial plexus blockade provides excellent intraoperative anaesthesia as well as post-operative analgesia, eliminates the need for post-operative opioids, resulting in a decrease in recovery time, shortened hospital stay, increased patient satisfaction and ultimately a decrease in perioperative costs when compared with general anaesthesia. This chapter reviews upper extremity surgical procedures performed below the shoulder, the anaesthetic options available, and techniques used to optimize post-operative pain control.
authors.affiliation: College of Physicians & Surgeons, Columbia University, New York, NY, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000494:pharmacology; D001917:Brachial Plexus; D004550:Elbow / Q000601:surgery*; D006225:Hand / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D009407:Nerve Block; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000628:therapy; D014111:Tourniquets
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local