Regional Nerve Blocks in Anesthesia and Pain Therapy: Traditional and Ultrasound-Guided Techniques

Abstract

The infraclavicular brachial plexus block was described as early as 1917 but was overshadowed in the early part of the twentieth century by the axillary and supraclavicular approaches. Refinements in the technique by authors such as Wilson et al. and Kilka et al. led to a deserved increase in popularity in the mid-1990s. The block is a highly effective and safe technique for providing anesthesia of the distal upper arm.