Can we use lower volume of local anesthetic for infraclavicular brachial plexus nerve block under ultrasound guidance in children?

Objectives To determine if the infraclavicular brachial plexus block can be applied with lower volume of local anesthetic. Design Randomised, double-blinded clinical trial. Patients 60 patients aged 5–15 years with ASA I–II who underwent emergent or elective arm, forearm or hand operations were included in the study. Interventions Patients were divided into two groups randomly; standard volume local anesthetic administered group (Group S, n = 30) and low volume anesthetic administered group (Group L, n = 30). Measurement Postoperative pain scores, sensory and motor block durations were noted. Main results Pain scores (Wong-Baker Face Scale) were evaluated and the results were detected to be similar at all times (30 min, 1, 2, 4, 8, 12, 24 h). Durations of motor block were 168(± 16) minutes and 268(± 15) minutes in Group L and Group S respectively and the difference was statistically significant (p < 0.001). Durations of sensory block were 385(± 26) and 402(± 39) in Group L and Group S respectively and no statistically significant difference was detected (p = 0.064). Conclusion Similar block success, postoperative sensory block durations and pain scores could be obtained during infraclavicular brachial plexus in pediatric patients with lower local anesthetic volumes.