Great auricular nerve blockade using high resolution ultrasound: a volunteer study

Summary This prospective, observational volunteer study aimed to describe the appearance of the great auricular nerve using ultrasound and its blockade under ultrasound guidance. An in‐plane needle guidance technique was used for blockade of the great auricular nerve with 0.1 ml mepivacaine 1%. Sens...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Anaesthesia 2010-08, Vol.65 (8), p.836-840
Main Authors: Thallaj, A., Marhofer, P., Moriggl, B., Delvi, B. M., Kettner, S. C., Almajed, M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adolescent
Adult
Anesthesia
Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy
Anesthetics, Local - administration & dosage
Biological and medical sciences
Drug Administration Schedule
Ear Auricle - innervation
Ear Auricle - ultrastructure
Head
Humans
Male
Medical sciences
Middle Aged
Neck
Nerve Block - methods
Nervous system
Prospective Studies
Sensation - drug effects
Ultrasonic imaging
Ultrasonography, Interventional - methods
Young Adult
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Summary:Summary This prospective, observational volunteer study aimed to describe the appearance of the great auricular nerve using ultrasound and its blockade under ultrasound guidance. An in‐plane needle guidance technique was used for blockade of the great auricular nerve with 0.1 ml mepivacaine 1%. Sensory block was evaluated by pinprick testing in comparison with the contralateral area propriae. The great auricular nerve was successfully seen in all volunteers and the tail of the helix, antitragus, lobula and mandibular angle were blocked in all cases whereas the antihelix and concha were never blocked. Ultrasound imaging of the great auricular nerve can be reliably achieved and successful blockade with minimal volumes of local anaesthetic is another example of the benefits of ultrasound‐guided peripheral nerve blocks.
ISSN:0003-2409
1365-2044
DOI:10.1111/j.1365-2044.2010.06443.x