A randomised comparison between ultrasound and nerve stimulation for infraclavicular catheter placement*

210 patients scheduled for various upper-limb orthopaedic procedures were randomised to receive anaesthesia via an infraclavicular catheter placement through an ultrasound (US) guided or nerve stimulating (NS) technique. The purpose of this study was to compare insertion guidance techniques in terms of total sensory nerve block success and time to full block. Results demonstrated that the two insertion techniques were comparable for anaesthetic parameters and onset of postoperative sensory or motor deficiencies up to 14 days after the procedure. Procedures involving the ultrasound technique were found to be significantly shorter in duration, however, the clinical importance of this result does not appear to be significant.