• D R Fitzgibbon, A D Debs, and M K Erjavec.
• Department of Anesthesiology, University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, USA.
• Reg Anesth. 1995 May 1;20(3):239-41.

Background And ObjectivesRegional anesthesia of the upper extremity may be achieved by the infraclavicular approach to the brachial plexus.MethodsAdvantages of this approach include profound anesthesia of the upper extremity with minimal risk of complications.ResultsIsolated block of the musculocutaneous nerve may result by this approach if biceps muscle contractions are accepted as evidence of brachial plexus location by peripheral nerve stimulation.ConclusionsStimulation of the musculocutaneous nerve in the infraclavicular region results in biceps muscle contraction. Inadequate anesthesia of the upper extremity may result due to exiting of the musculocutaneous nerve outside the axillary sheath in this region. Evidence of more distal stimulation (finger/wrist flexion) improves the likelihood of successful block of the brachial plexus by the infraclavicular route.

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