Cervical Plexus Block

Excerpt

Regional anesthetic blocks constitute an integral component of a multimodal pain management strategy, frequently employed within emergency departments and perioperative clinical contexts. Preoperatively, such blocks find utility across a diverse spectrum of surgical procedures. In emergency department scenarios, their application facilitates procedures like inserting internal jugular central venous catheters, treating clavicular fractures, wound repair, and drainage of abscesses involving the earlobe and submandibular areas. The superficial cervical plexus block (CPB), in particular, confers ipsilateral anesthesia encompassing the anatomical region colloquially referred to as the "cape." This region delineates its boundaries by the posterior tip of the earlobe, the clavicle's lateral extremity, the mandible's medial aspect, and the clavicle's inferior surface.

Remarkably, CPBs are characterized by their ease of administration and proficiency in conferring anesthesia within the distribution spanning C2 to C4. This includes their applicability in procedures such as carotid endarterectomies, lymph node dissection, and plastic surgery. Furthermore, the superficial CPB can be judiciously combined with the deep CPB to furnish comprehensive regional anesthesia, notably within the realm of oral and maxillofacial surgery.