The use of ultrasound guided regional anaesthesia has increased in recent times among anaesthetists in many countries. Portability, increased processing power and a reduction in equipment costs have all added to its growth. Recent literature has also suggested the following advantages over other techniques:
- reduced time for block insertion
- increased cost effectiveness
- reduced dose of local anaesthetic agent
- increased block success
- reduced complication rates
- improved block quality
- Improved block duration
- Aids visualisatio of LA spread during regional anesthesia
Some of these aspects have more of a body of evidence and some of them have little if any evidence currently to support these statements. There is therefore some difference in the peripheral nerve stimulation and ultrasound camps.
The Oxford Ultrasound regional anaesthesia course is a 2 day course covering upper, lower and neuro axial blocks, abdominal wall and neck blocks. The next course is on Thursday 14th-Friday 15th June 2012 at the Nuffield Orthopaedic Centre in Oxford.
Download the course programme here
To watch some online training videos for ultrasound guided peripheral nerve blockade then please visit this page