Document Type
Article
Publication Date
2016
College/Unit
School of Medicine
Department/Program/Center
Anesthesiology
Abstract
A greater auricular nerve (GAN) block was used as the sole anesthetic for facial surgery in an 80-year-old male patient with multiple comorbidities which would have made general anesthesia challenging. The GAN provides sensation to the ear, mastoid process, parotid gland, and angle of the mandible. In addition to anesthesia for operating room surgery, the GAN block can be used for outpatient or emergency department procedures without the need for a separate anesthesia team. Although this nerve block has been performed using landmark-based techniques, the ultrasound-guided version offers several potential advantages. These advantages include increased reliability of the nerve block, as well as prevention of inadvertent vascular puncture or blockade of the phrenic nerve, brachial plexus, or deep cervical plexus. The increasing access to ultrasound technology for medical care providers outside the operating room makes this ultrasound guided block an increasingly viable alternative.
Digital Commons Citation
Ritchie, Michael K.; Wilson, Colin A.; Grose, Brian W.; Ranganathan, Pavithra; Howell, Stephen M.; and Ellison, Matthew B., "Ultrasound-Guided Greater Auricular Nerve Block as Sole Anesthetic for Ear Surgery" (2016). Faculty & Staff Scholarship. 2341.
https://researchrepository.wvu.edu/faculty_publications/2341
Source Citation
Ritchie, M. K., Wilson, C. A., Grose, B. W., Ranganathan, P., Howell, S. M., & Ellison, M. B. (2016). Ultrasound-guided greater auricular nerve block as sole anesthetic for ear surgery. Clinics and Practice, 6(2). https://doi.org/10.4081/cp.2016.856
Comments
©Copyright M.K. Ritchie et al., 2016 Licensee PAGEPress, Italy Clinics and Practice 2016; 6:856 doi:10.4081/cp.2016.856