Locoregional Anesthesia of the Thoracic Limbs and Thorax in Small Animals

Abstract

The incorporation of nerve stimulation and ultrasound guidance to veterinary regional anesthesia allows accurate performance of techniques to block the thoracic limb and the thorax. When performed correctly, regional anesthesia can either constitute an alternative to the use of opioids and other systemic analgesics, or have a significant opioid-sparing effect. This article provides an overview of some techniques described using objective methods of nerve location, which can be used to provide perioperative locoregional anesthesia and analgesia to the thoracic limb and thorax. The approaches described may be used to decrease the perioperative use of opioids in small animals.

Keywords: Brachial plexus block; Erector spinae plane block; RUMM block; Regional anesthesia; Small animals; Subscalene; Thoracic paravertebral block.