Digital Nerve Block

Excerpt

A digital nerve block is a simple procedure that can be performed to provide immediate anesthesia for a multitude of injuries and procedures, such as fractures, dislocations, laceration repair, fingernail removal, or drainage of infections. It is one of the most commonly performed nerve blocks performed in the emergency department due to its wide variety of uses and efficacy. The digital nerve block is generally superior to local infiltration due to the reduced amount of anesthetic required. This is of importance as only a limited volume of anesthetic is tolerated in the restricted space of the digits. It is also considered to be superior to intravenous and oral medications as it acts locally and therefore has a lower likelihood of systemic adverse effects.