Peripheral regional anesthesia procedures, such as femoral nerve block, are relatively safe procedures in clinical anesthesia. Nevertheless, it may lead to typical, usually transient and rarely even persistent complications. This article aims to highlight key aspects of complications in peripheral regional anesthesia and, in particular, strategies to reduce risk. Moreover, beside general complications, which might potentially occur in any peripheral nerve blockade ("bleeding/infection/nerve damage"), accidental co-blockades of other nerval structures are discussed using the example of the brachial plexus. In addition to the presentation of the possible complications, this article discusses improvements in the techniques during the last two decades. Due to the use of ultrasound, some side effects nowadays are supposed to occur less likely. An outlook into the future will inform the reader about improved or more selective blockages.
Periphere Regionalanästhesieverfahren sind relativ sichere Verfahren der klinischen Anästhesie – dennoch können typische, meist transiente und selten sogar persistierende Komplikationen auftreten. Neben allgemeinen Komplikationen und Strategien zur Risikoreduktion widmet sich dieser Artikel akzidentellen Mitblockaden anderer nervaler Strukturen am Beispiel des Plexus brachialis. Ein Ausblick in die Zukunft informiert über selektivere Blockaden.
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.