Nerve Block Gallery - Popliteal Sciatic Nerve Block for Lac Repair
Caption
30s F presented with multiple self inflicted lacerations to the leg. To facilitate laceration repair without using a near toxic dose of lidocaine, a popliteal sciatic nerve block was performed. The block is shown here with the needle approaching from the lateral aspect of the popliteal fossa, in plane with the probe, depositing anesthetic next to the popliteal nerve (*). The anesthetic in this clip is outside of Vloka’s sheath, which encompasses the sciatic nerve and its more distal branches, the common peroneal and tibial nerves. Accordingly, onset of anesthesia in this patient was delayed, and so the laceration repair was completed using a combination of local infiltration of anesthetic as well as this nerve block. Dr. Kathleen Joseph, PGY3 Denver Health Residency in Emergency Medicine