Ultrasound-Guided Continuous Peripheral Nerve Blocks

Introduction

Ultrasound-guided continuous peripheral nerve blocks can be placed with high success rates and low complication profiles in both adults and children. Peripheral nerve catheters are more beneficial than traditional opioid-based analgesia and also are associated with improved pain control, lower opioid requirements, less nausea, and greater patient satisfaction when compared with single-shot blocks. Catheters are commonly placed at the interscalene, supraclavicular, infraclavicular, sciatic, femoral, adductor canal, and popliteal sites. A short-axis in-plane approach to peripheral nerve catheter insertion is popular, although out-of-plane techniques and long-axis approaches also have been described.