Review Article

Ultrasound Guidance for Deep Peripheral Nerve Blocks: A Brief Review

Table 1


StudyNo. patientsOnset of block time (min)Time for procedure completion (min)Success rate (%)Time to resolution of motor block (min)Local anesthetic volumeComplications

Dingemans et al. [30]72NA3.1 (US) versus 5.2 (USPNS)92% (US) versus 74% (USPNS)NALidocaine 1.5% and Bupivacaine.125% with epi 0.5 mL/kgNA

Dhir and Ganapathy [31]6628 (NS) versus 24 (SC) versus 21(USPNS)6 (NS) versus
8 (SC) versus
6 (USPNS)
59% (NS) versus 58% (SC) versus 96% (USPNS)266 (NS) versus 247 (SC) versus 246 (USPNS)30 mL of Ropivacaine 5 mg/mL with epi 2.5  𝜇 g/mLSecondary catheter failure 9% (US) versus 86% (USPNS)

Sauter et al. [32]8013.9 (US) versus 13.7 (USPNS)4.1 (US) versus
4.3 (USPNS)
95% (US) versus 85% (USPNS)NA20 mL Lidocaine 0.5% & 20 mL Bupivacaine, 20 mL Levo-Bupivacaine 0.5% with epi 5 mg/mLVascular puncture 6.6%

Brull et al. [33]1035 (US) versus 10.5 (USPNS)5 (US) versus
10.5 (USPNS)
85% (US) versus 65% (USPNS)NALidocaine 2% 15 mL and 15 mL Bupivacaine 0.5% with epiNo difference in complications in the two groups

Taboada et al. [34]7017 (US) versus 19 (USPNS)3 (US) versus
6 (USPNS)
89% (US) versus 91% (USPNS)237 (US) versus 247 (USPNS)NANA

US: ultrasound, USPNS: ultrasound plus peripheral nerve stimulation, SC: stimulating catheter.