brachial plexus blocks Flashcards
brachial plexus block:
paresthesia: how is it done?
1. nursing implications
2. what should you tell the patient?
paresthesia: a needle is placed near a nerve; whatever nerve is stimulated, you know where you are (based on anatomy)
1. make sure the patient is not too sedated; give clear instructions:
2. - tell patient:
- there will be a small pinch,
- to notify provider when tingle or dull ache occurs
- to avoid moving
- that warm feeling will intensify with injection but will quickly disappear
brachial plex block: nerve stimulator: how is it done? 1. why this technique? 2. what is the setting for: a)intensity b)duration c)electrical current 3. what does Hz mean?
an electrode insulated needle is placed near a nerve, the nerve that is stimulated will have a motor contraction.
- reliable and objective way to localize nerve
- mA, ms, Hz
a) low intensity (3-5mA) or (<5 mA)
b) short duration: (0.05-1 ms)
c) current: (1-2 Hz) - Hz = repitition rate
brachial plexus block:
ultrasound technique
1. advantages
1.real time visualization of target nerves, arteries and veins (also muscles and bones)
-allows one to avoid vascular structures and accurately
2.
- what is difference between intraneural and intrafasicular?
- what will happen with intrafasicular injection?
- you can inject inside the nerve bundle (intraneural) but you cannot be inside the fascicle (intrafasicular– MUST be extrafascicular to inject).
- nerve damage occurs with intrafascicular injection
why is ropivocaine generally used more than bupivicaine for interscalene/ brachial plexus blocks
bupivicaine is highly cardiotoxic and leads to cv collapse if inadvertently given intravascularly
- how much local anesthetic is injected into the brachial region (in mL)
- what is the least
- what is the most
- 30-40 ml
- 25 ml
- 50 ml
what are the types and percentages of LAs (and duration of each) used in brachial plexus blocks?
- mepivicaine:1.5% (4-5 hours)
- lidocaine: 1%-1.5% (3-4 hours)
- bupivacaine, levobupivacaine, ropivacaine: 0.5% (12-14 hours)
how is an interscalene block performed?
steps 1-11
- position patient facing unaffected shoulder, place roll towel under ipsilateral scapula to slightly roll patient forward and away (for in-plane insertion)
- identify the cricoid cartilage, lateral border of sternocleidomastoid muscle and the interscalene groove (having patient lift head slightly will tense sternocleidomastoid allowing practitioner to palpate interscalene groove posteriorly & laterally)
- prep and drape skin
- place sterile probe cover on us probe, place small amount of sterile gel applied to probe
- place probe perpendicular to interscalene groove to create transverse (short axial) view of nerves
- start at clavicle and locate pulsetile subclavian artery sitting posterior to it (on top of the first rib).
- move probe cephalad until hypoechoic brachial plexus is seen between anterior and middle scalene muscles with sternocleidomastoid above anterior scalene.
- using a 50mm (2 in) 20-22g needle with sterile connection, insert needle through levator scapulae while injecting 0.5 to 1 ml of anesthetic.
- pierce the posterior border of the middle scalene muscle, then toward anterior border (where there will be increased resistance from fascia).
- once through anterior border, the needle is in the interscalene space.
- inject 1-3 ml initially, then 3-5 ml incrementally; watch the interscalene space swell with LA
where are nerves most sensitive in bone
periosteum
what are the 7 different types of approaches for upper anatomy blocks (brachial plexus blocks)
- interscalene
- supraclavicular
- infraclavicular
- axillary
- peripheral
- Bier block
- distal nerve block
what 3 techniques are used to do blocks (3 ways to do a block)?
- nerve stimulator
- ultrasound guided
- paresthesia
what is the paresthesia approach?
- how do you know where to insert needle
- what dictates if you are in proper place
- what cant patient do?
- patient must be able to do what?
a. based on anatomy, a needle is inserted near the target nerve.
b. the sensation to the nerve dictates what nerve you are near
c. inect LA at the target nerve, patient cannot move
d. patient must be awake enough to convey sensations
anatomy of the brachial plexus:
- name the ROOTS (rami):
- How do they travel from the spine?
- C5,C6,C7,C8,T1 (occasionally from C4 & T2)
- exit thru corresponding inververtebral foramen POSTERIOR to the vertebral artery and travel laterally in the trough of its cervical transverse process
- name the TRUNKS of the brachinal plexus
- how do these trunks run from the rami (where do they go)?
- what vessel joins with the trunks and what does it form?
- what is the name of the material these nerves and vessels encased in?
- superior (C5-C6)
middle (C7)
inferior (C8,T1) - trunks exit between anterior and middle scalene muscles and pass under the clavicle and over the first rib
- subclavian artery joins the trunks and forms the NEUROVASCULAR BUNDLE
- axillary sheath
- how many DIVISIONS?
2. where do they start
- (6 total) 3 anterior, 3 posterior
2. divisions are formed at the lateral edge of the first rib (or apex of axilla
- name the CORDS:
- how are they named?
- where do they start?
- lateral, posterior and medial
- in relation to the axillary artery (medial is closest to body, lateral furthest from body, posterior is toward tricep)
- lateral edge of pec minor
what is the shortest part of the brachial plexus/
trunks (approx 1 cm long)
- name the major (TERMINAL) NERVES:
2. what region do terminal nerves arise from?
- a.musculocutaneous
b. radial
c. median
d. ulnar
(e. axillary which brances early from radial nerve) - lateral border of pectoralis major
- what are the roots encased in?
2. what muscles is the “casing” made from
- sheath (axillary sheath)
2. from the anterior and middle scalene fascia
what forms the lateral cord
anterior division of superior and middle trunks
what forms the medial cord
nonunited anterior division of inferior trunk (straight shot from inferior trunk)
what forms the posterior cord?
posterior divisions of all 3 trunks form the posterior cord
- what cord forms the musculocutaneous?
2. is it part of the neurovascular bundle as well?
- from the lateral cord
2. not part of neurovascular bundle
what cords form the median nerve?
the medial root of the MEDIAL CORD and the lateral root of the LATERAL CORD
where does the ulnar nerve come from
medial cord
what cord does the axillary nerve come from?
posterior cord
what cord does the radial nerve come from?
posterior cord
musculocutaneous:
- what are the motor innervations?
- action of motor?
- sensory innervation ?
- sensory to where?
- Motor: coracobrachialis, brachialis, biceps
- flexion of elbow (biceps contraction)
- sensory: lateral antebrachial cutaneous nerve (LAC)
- sensory to lateral forearm
median nerve:
- sensory innervation:
- motor innervation:
- motor action:
- sensory: C6-C8, supply palmar surface of hand, first 3 fingers, half of 4th finger
- motor C5-T1
- flexion of the wrist, opposition of middle forefinger, thumb (flexor carpi radialis)
ulnar nerve:
- sensory innervation:
- motor innervation:
- motor action:
- sensory: medial half of hand, 5th finger, half of 4th finger
- interosseus muscles of hand and flexors in medial (x2) forearm
- flex wrist, flex and opposition of medial 2 fingers towards thumb (flexor carpi ulnaris) and flexor digitorum profundus
axillary nerve
- sensory innervation:
- motor innervation:
- motor action:
- sensory: posterior shoulder and arm
- motor deltoid muscle
- deltoid contraction; shoulder abduction
radial nerve:
- sensory innervation
- motor innervation
- motor action
- sensory: posterior forearm and hand
- motor: triceps muscle, externsor muscles of thumb and fingers, brachioradialis muscle
- motor action: extension of elbow
brachial plexus:
- how long is it?
- what covers it?
- does that affect local anesthetic?
- at what point does what artery join brachial plexus
- what is this called?
- brachial plexus is 6-8 cm long
- fibrous sheath covers brachial plexus (part of muscle fascia)
- it limits flow of local anesthetic OUT of B.P.
- at first rib subclavian joins B.P.
- neurovascular bundle
name the order of the brachial plexus starting from spine (prox to distal) and how many branches of each:
- ROOTS (5 (occasionally 7))
- TRUNKS (3)
- DIVISIONS (6)
- CORDS (3)
- TERMINAL NERVES(5)
what are the advantages of using ultrasound?
- real time visualization
- can avoid vascular structures
- allows you to adjust needle
- impove quality of block, decrease onset with higher success
- may allow for less LA volume
- reduces needle attempts
how does ultrasound work?
- high frequency probes
- low freqency probes
- 5-15 Mhz provides images with better resolution but does not penetrate deeply
- 2-3 Mhz provides less resolution but penetrates more deeply
disadvantages of ultrasound
- needle tip observation may be hindered by poor technique or echogenic characteristics
- resolution may not be able to differentiate between intra vs. extrafasicular needle tip location