Objective: To investigate the effect of electro-acupuncture-anesthesia device (EAAD) as an auxiliary localizing method for brachiplex nerve blocking.
Methods: One hundred and twenty patients scheduled for operation in upper limbs were randomly divided into group A and group B, 60 in each group. Bupivacaine 25 ml (0.375% in concentration) was used to block intermuscular plexus brachialis in the operation for anesthesia and EAAD was used for adjunctive localizing in group A, while in group B paresthesia elicitation was used.
Results: In group A, the blocking was complete in 56 cases and incomplete in 4, the anesthesia effect was superior to that in group B, complete in 46, incomplete in 9, and of inefficient in 5 (P < 0.01).
Conclusion: EAAD provides a localizing method for plexus brachialis blocking more precise than paresthesia elicitation.