Question

Regional anesthesia at which of the following locations would provide adequate analgesia for surgery at the elbow?

A. Injection lateral to the subclavian artery above the fi rst rib
B. Injection medial to the subclavian artery above the fi rst rib
C. Injection between the sternocleidomastoid and anterior scalene at the level of the cricoid cartilage
D. Injection beneath the middle scalene muscle at the level of the cricoid cartilage
E. Injection around the axillary vein and beneath the pectoralis major and minor muscles using the infraclavicular approach 182

Answer 1

Regional anesthesia for elbow surgery would be best achieved using the infraclavicular approach to target the nerves and vessels supplying the upper limb, including the axillary vein.

Step-by-step explanation:

The question concerns finding an appropriate site for regional anesthesia to provide analgesia for elbow surgery. The artery most closely associated with the area of the arm including the elbow is the brachial artery, which supplies blood to the upper limb, dividing into smaller branches at the elbow. The axillary artery and axillary vein are crucial structures in this region as well. Injection around the axillary vein and beneath the pectoralis major and minor muscles using the infraclavicular approach (option E) would likely provide adequate analgesia for elbow surgery as it targets nerves and vessels supplying the arm, particularly the brachium and antebrachium.