Real-time three-dimensional ultrasound for continuous interscalene brachial plexus blockade.

Two-dimensional ultrasound guidance is used commonly for regional anesthetic techniques. This report describes the novel use of three-dimensional, ultrasound-guided, continuous interscalene regional analgesia, which was used in a 36-year-old woman undergoing left total elbow arthroplasty. Possible advantages of this novel technology over current two-dimensional methods include a larger area of available scan information that enables multiple planes of view without having to reposition the ultrasound probe, and three-dimensional visualization of local anesthetic deposition perineurally. Current technological limitations include an upper frequency of 7 MHz, which decreases the resolution of superficial scanning.