6 Extremities: Arms, Legs
Injection to and into the Brachial Artery
Indications: | Circulatory disturbances, causalgia, post-traumatic osteoporosis of the upper extremity. |
Materials: | Size 2 needle, 1 ml procaine or lidocaine. |
Technique: | Point of insertion: a: Palpate the artery a little above the antecubital fossa and inject intra- and para-arterially. b: The artery can also be readily palpated in the axilla, where it issues from beneath the greater pectoral muscle and runs along the medial biceps groove. |
Injection to the Subclavian Artery
Indications: | Circulatory disorders, cellulitis, abscesses, frostbite, burns to the upper extremity. |
Materials: | 40-mm-long needle, 2 ml procaine or lidocaine. |
Technique: | Point of insertion: The pulsating artery can be palpated 10 mm above the mid-point of the clavicle. As an alternative: stellate ganglion, brachial artery. |
CAUTION: To avoid the risk of perforating the pleural apex, do not insert the needle further than 15 mm. |
Injection into the Elbow Joint
Indications: | All disorders in the region of the joint. |
Materials: | Size 12 needle, 2 ml procaine or lidocaine. |
Technique: | The patient lays the forearm on a table to form approximately a right angle between the forearm and upper arm. |
Point of insertion: Midway between olecranon and lateral epicondyle. | |
Direction of needle: Toward the antecubital fossa. | |
Injection depth: Approximately 10–20 mm. |
Injection into the Wrist Joint
Indications: | Arthrosis, arthritis, post-traumatic joint disorders. |
Materials: | Size 12 needle, 1 ml procaine or lidocaine. |
Technique: | Point of insertion: Midway between the end of the ulna and the styloid process or between the distal end of the radius and the scaphoid bone. |
Direction of needle: Perpendicular to the skin. | |
Injection depth: 5–10 mm. |
Injection into the Shoulder Joint
Indications: | Arthrosis deformans, humeroscapular periarthritis, subacromial bursitis; conditions following contusion of the shoulder. |
Materials: | 40-mm-long needle, 2–5 ml procaine or lidocaine. |
Technique: | Injection from the front: |
Point of insertion: The patient lets the arm hang down, palm to the front; medially from the head of the humerus, the joint line can be palpated. The needle should enter just below the clavicle. | |
Direction of needle: Just below the acromion in an outward direction. | |
Injection depth: After overcoming the resistance from the ligaments, the needle slides easily into the joint. |
Injection to the Median Nerve
Indications: | For disorders of the hand in the area supplied by this nerve; carpal tunnel syndrome. |
Materials: | Size 12 needle, 1–2 ml procaine or lidocaine. |
Technique: | a: In the antecubital fossa, the median nerve lies on the ulnar side of the palpable brachial artery. |
b: Above the wrist. | |
Point of insertion: About three fingerbreadths above the line of the wrist joint, the nerve lies in a radial direction from the tendon of the palmaris longus muscle and is clearly visible in volar flexion of the hand. | |
Direction of needle, injection depth: Perpendicular to the skin until the patient reports paresthesia in the region supplied by this nerve. |
Injection to the Radial Nerve
Indications: | Disorders of the hand in the area supplied by the radial nerve. |
Materials: | Size 12 needle, 1–2 ml procaine or lidocaine. |
Technique: | a: The radial nerve is accessible above the elbow. |
Point of insertion: About four fingerbreadths above the lateral epicondyle. | |
Direction of needle: Perpendicular to the skin. | |
Injection depth: If the needle’s position is correct, the patient reports electrifying pain in the thumb and the back of the hand. |
Point of insertion: Radially from the radial artery.
Injection depth: Until the patient reports paresthesia.
c: Distribution of a local anesthetic in the dorsoradial region of the wrist at snuffbox level blocks the branches of the superficial radial nerve.
Direction of needle, injection depth: Perpendicular to the skin, subcutaneous.
Injection to the Ulnar Nerve
Indications: | Disorders affecting the area supplied by this nerve, e. g., pain, vasospasm. |
Materials: | Size 12 needle, 2 ml procaine or lidocaine. |
Technique: | a: Point of insertion: The ulnar sulcus is palpable between the medial humeral epicondyle and the olecranon. |
Direction of needle: Perpendicular to the skin. | |
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