Background: Regional anesthesia presents considerable advantages over general anesthesia, such as enhanced hemodynamic stability, superior postoperative pain relief, and expedited postoperative recovery.
Aim: This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of supraclavicular versus infraclavicular brachial plexus blocks in patients undergoing surgeries below the elbow.
Patients and Methods: The study was conducted with 70 patients who were scheduled for below-elbow surgeries. They were divided into two groups: Group A (35 patients receiving supraclavicular block) and Group B (35 patients receiving infraclavicular block). Data collected included block performance time, onset times for sensory and motor blocks, block duration, complication rates, block success rate, and the need for intraoperative analgesia.
Results: Group A experienced significantly quicker onset times for sensory (7 ± 2 minutes) and motor blocks (8 ± 2 minutes) compared to Group B (sensory: 12 ± 2 minutes, motor: 13 ± 2 minutes), with p-values less than 0.001. The block performance times were similar between the groups (Group A: 9 ± 3 minutes, Group B: 9 ± 2 minutes, p = 0.544). There were no significant differences in the duration of sensory and motor blocks between the two groups. However, complications were more prevalent in Group A, including issues such as breathing difficulty, Horner's syndrome, and vascular puncture.
Conclusion: While the supraclavicular block achieves quicker onset times compared to the infraclavicular block, it also carries a higher risk of complications. Nevertheless, both methods are effective for providing anesthesia in below-elbow surgical procedures.