title: Color Doppler ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block to prevent vascular injection.
abstract: Ultrasound-guided nerve blocks are quickly becoming integrated into emergency medicine practice for pain control and as an alternative to procedural sedation. Common, but potentially catastophic errors have not been reported outside of the anesthesiology literature. Evaluation of the brachial plexus with color Doppler should be standard for clinicians performing a supraclavicular brachial plexus block to determine ideal block location and prevention of inadvertant intravascular injection.
authors.affiliation: Alameda County Medical Center, Highland General Hospital, Oakland, California.
authors.forename: Christopher
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Hahn
authors.affiliation: Alameda County Medical Center, Highland General Hospital, Oakland, California ; University of California San Francisco, Highland General Hospital, Oakland, California.
authors.forename: Arun
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nagdev
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001917:Brachial Plexus / Q000098:blood supply / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D065527:Brachial Plexus Block / Q000379:methods*; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures; D008297:Male; D018615:Ultrasonography, Doppler, Color / Q000379:methods*; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*; D014948:Wounds, Gunshot