Digital Nerve Block

Excerpt

A digital nerve block is a simple procedure that provides immediate anesthesia for many injuries and procedures affecting the fingers and toes (ie, digits). These comprise fractures, dislocations, laceration repairs, nail removals, foreign body removals, mass excisions, and treating infections. A digital nerve block is one of the most commonly performed nerve blocks in the primary care setting and the emergency department due to its wide variety of uses and efficacy. The digital nerve block has several advantages over a local anesthetic injection for digital injuries and treatment. They include rapid anesthetic effect, decreased risk of direct trauma to blood vessels and nerves (neurovascular bundles), a single injection is usually enough, and a lower volume of anesthetic solution is used. The latter is important as only a limited volume of anesthetic is tolerated in the restricted space of the digits. A digital nerve block is also considered superior to intravenous and oral medications as it acts locally and, therefore, has a lower likelihood of systemic adverse effects. The injection sites for the digital nerve block are typically less painful than local infiltrations. Several techniques exist for digit anesthesia, making it a common and effective procedure in clinical settings.