Brachial plexus anesthesia for outpatient surgical procedures on an upper extremity.

We retrospectively reviewed 543 brachial plexus blocks performed on 526 outpatients. Most (98%) of the blocks were performed by means of the axillary approach. Various techniques were used, including paresthesia, transarterial fixation, nerve stimulation, or a combination of techniques; a high success rate was achieved with each of them. Only 7% of the blocks were incomplete and thus necessitated either general anesthesia or block supplementation with thiopental sodium and nitrous oxide. No persistent neurologic deficit was ascribed to the anesthetic technique. This review indicates that brachial plexus block, especially with use of the axillary approach, is a safe and effective option for outpatient surgical procedures on an upper extremity.