title: Great auricular nerve blockade using high resolution ultrasound: a volunteer study.
abstract: This prospective, observational volunteer study aimed to describe the appearance of the great auricular nerve using ultrasound and its blockade under ultrasound guidance. An in-plane needle guidance technique was used for blockade of the great auricular nerve with 0.1 ml mepivacaine 1%. Sensory block was evaluated by pinprick testing in comparison with the contralateral area propriae. The great auricular nerve was successfully seen in all volunteers and the tail of the helix, antitragus, lobula and mandibular angle were blocked in all cases whereas the antihelix and concha were never blocked. Ultrasound imaging of the great auricular nerve can be reliably achieved and successful blockade with minimal volumes of local anaesthetic is another example of the benefits of ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Thallaj
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Marhofer
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Moriggl
authors.forename: B M
authors.initials: BM
authors.lastname: Delvi
authors.forename: S C
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Kettner
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Almajed
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D054644:Ear Auricle / Q000294:innervation* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012677:Sensation / Q000187:drug effects; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local