Combined use of axillary block and lateral femoral cutaneous nerve block in upper-extremity injuries requiring large skin grafts.

Abstract

An axillary block and lateral femoral cutaneous nerve block combination was used in 11 patients with upper-extremity injuries requiring large skin grafts. In our experience, this block combination was highly successful. All but one of the patients obtained excellent pain relief (mean visual analog pain scores, 0.2) that required no narcotic analgesics or sedatives. There were no systemic or neurologic side effects attributed to the local anesthetic drugs. We believe that combining an axillary block and a lateral femoral cutaneous nerve block is a clinically useful and effective technique and an excellent anesthetic alternative for procedures requiring large grafts for the upper extremity.