title: Posterior parasagittal in-plane ultrasound-guided infraclavicular brachial plexus block-a case series.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The brachial plexus at the infraclavicular level runs deeper compared to its course proximally, giving rise to impaired needle visualisation due to the steep angle of needle insertion with the current ultrasound-guided approach. A new posterior parasagittal in-plane ultrasound-guided infraclavicular approach was introduced to improve needle visibility. However no further follow up study was done.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a case series and a cadaveric dissection to assess its feasibility in a single centre, University of Malaya Medical Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia from November 2012 to October 2013. After obtaining approval from the Medical Ethics Committee, University Malaya Medical Centre, 18 patients undergoing upper limb surgery were prospectively recruited. A cadaveric dissection was also performed. The endpoints of this study were the success rate, performance time, total anaesthesia-related time, quality of anaesthesia and any incidence of complications.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All patients had 100 % success rate. The imaging time, needling time and performance time were comparable with previously published study. There were no adverse events encountered in this study. The cadaveric dissection revealed a complete spread of methylene blue dye over the brachial plexus.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study demonstrated that the posterior parasagittal in-plane approach is a feasible and reliable technique with high success rate. Future studies shall compare this technique with the conventional lateral parasagittal in-plane approach.
  
  
  BACKGROUND
  ClinicalTrials.gov NCT02312453 . Registered on 8 December 2014.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. michaelbzy@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Zhi Yuen
authors.initials: ZY
authors.lastname: Beh
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. shahnaz@ummc.edu.my.
authors.forename: M Shahnaz
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Hasan
authors.affiliation: Department of Anaesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. laihouyee@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Hou Yee
authors.initials: HY
authors.lastname: Lai
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. normadiah_mk@um.edu.my.
authors.forename: Normadiah M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Kassim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. siti_rosmani@um.edu.my.
authors.forename: Siti Rosmani
authors.initials: SR
authors.lastname: Md Zin
authors.affiliation: M.I.L.E.S Training Centre, University of Malaya, 50603, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. mdskfc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Kin Fah
authors.initials: KF
authors.lastname: Chin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D065527:Brachial Plexus Block / Q000379:methods*; D002102:Cadaver; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008296:Malaysia; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*; D034941:Upper Extremity / Q000601:surgery*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local