title: Ultrasound-guided central cluster approach for the supraclavicular brachial plexus block: a case series.
abstract: There are many different approaches to ultrasound-guided supraclavicular brachial plexus block (US-SCBPB), and each has a different success rate and complications. The most commonly performed US-SCBPB is the corner pocket approach in which the needle is advanced very close to the subclavian artery and pleura. Therefore, it may be associated with a risk of subclavian artery puncture or pneumothorax. We advanced the needle into the central part of the neural cluster after penetrating the sheath of the brachial plexus in US-SCBPB. We refer to this new method as the "central cluster approach." In this approach, the needle does not have to advance close to the subclavian artery or pleura. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical outcomes of the central cluster approach in US-SCBPB.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Gachon University Gil Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Mi Geum
authors.initials: MG
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Gachon University Gil Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Kyung Cheon
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Gachon University Gil Hospital, Incheon, Korea.
authors.forename: Hong Soon
authors.initials: HS
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Seol Ju
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Park
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Young Je
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Suh
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Korea University Anam Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: Hyeon Ju
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Shin
keywords: Brachial plexus block; Pneumothorax; Ultrasound