title: Paravertebral block for forelimb anesthesia in the dog--an anatomic study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the anatomic landmarks for performing paravertebral forelimb block in the dog.
  
  
  METHODS
  Technique description.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine canine cadavers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Each intervertebral foramen between the C5 and T2 vertebrae was targeted. With the dog in lateral recumbency, a 20 SWG 3'' spinal needle was placed at a 45 degree angle from a vertical transverse plane (with the dog standing this plane would be perpendicular to the ground) 2-3 cm lateral to the median plane for the three cranial intervertebral foramina and at a 90 degree angle with the same transverse plane 2-3 cm lateral to the median plane for the T1-T2 intervertebral foramina.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Three out of nine (33%) of the cadavers had successful staining of all four desired nerves and the remaining six (66%) cadavers had successful staining of three of the four nerves. The C6-C7 spinal nerve was successfully stained in all nine cadavers. The other three nerves were each successfully stained in seven out of nine (78%) cadavers.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The landmarks allow reliable placement of a solution at the nerves comprising the brachial plexus, allowing anesthesia of the entire forelimb in the dog.
authors.affiliation: Department of Small Animal Medicine and Surgery, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602, USA. erikh@vet.uga.edu
authors.forename: Erik H
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Hofmeister
authors.forename: Marc
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kent
authors.forename: Matt R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Read
mesh_terms: D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000818:Animals; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D002102:Cadaver; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D004285:Dogs / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D005552:Forelimb / Q000294:innervation*; D007278:Injections, Spinal / Q000662:veterinary; D008751:Methylene Blue; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000662:veterinary*; D010146:Pain / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D013126:Spinal Nerve Roots / Q000033:anatomy & histology; D013904:Thoracic Vertebrae / Q000033:anatomy & histology
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D008751:Methylene Blue