• Richard Brull, Admir Hadzic, Miguel A Reina, and Michael J Barrington.
• From the *Departments of Anesthesia, Toronto Western Hospital, University Health Network, and Women's College Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada; †Department of Anesthesiology, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, St Luke's and Roosevelt Hospitals, New York, NY; ‡School of Medicine, CEU San Pablo University, and Madrid Montepríncipe University Hospital, Madrid, Spain; and §Department of Anaesthesia, St Vincent's Hospital; Melbourne Medical School, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
• Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2015 Sep 1; 40 (5): 479-90.

AbstractThis review synthesizes anatomical, anesthetic, surgical, and patient factors that may contribute to neurologic complications associated with peripheral nerve blockade. Peripheral nerves have anatomical features unique to a given location that may influence risk of injury. Peripheral nerve blockade-related peripheral nerve injury (PNI) is most severe with intrafascicular injection. Surgery and its associated requirements such as positioning and tourniquet have specific risks. Patients with preexisting neuropathy may be at an increased risk of postoperative neurologic dysfunction. Distinguishing potential causes of PNI require clinical assessment and investigation; a definitive diagnosis, however, is not always possible. Fortunately, most postoperative neurologic dysfunction appears to resolve with time, and the incidence of serious long-term nerve injury directly attributable to peripheral nerve blockade is relatively uncommon. Nonetheless, despite the use of ultrasound guidance, the risk of block-related PNI remains unchanged.

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