Comparison of the Effect of Intercostobrachial Nerve Block with and Without Ultrasound Guidance on Tourniquet Pain After Axillary Block of Brachial Plexus: A Randomized Clinical Trial

Background: A tourniquet is used to control bleeding in the surgical field. Because part of the inner arm is innervated by the intercostobrachial nerve (ICBN), a tourniquet can cause intolerable pain.

Objectives: The present study aimed to compare the effect of ICBN block with and without ultrasound (US) guidance on tourniquet pain after axillary block.

Methods: This study was performed on 60 patients who were candidates for surgery. The patients were divided into 3 groups: the control group (n = 22), the traditional ICBN (TICBN) blockade group (n = 19), and the US-guided ICBN blockade group (n = 19). After the intervention, the duration of the onset and intensity of pain was recorded for all patients according to the Numeric Rating Scale (NRS). Data analysis was performed using SPSS.

Results: No significant differences were observed in demographic variables between the 3 groups (P > 0.05). The pain intensity in the TICBN blockade (P = 0.001) and US-guided ICBN blockade (P = 0.001) groups was significantly less than in the control group. The mean duration of pain onset was significantly higher in the TICBN blockade (P = 0.021) and US-guided ICBN blockade (P = 0.013) groups than in the control group. No significant difference was observed in the mean of pain intensity (P = 0.48) and the mean duration of pain onset (P = 0.44) between the US-guided ICBN blockade and TICBN blockade groups.

Conclusions: The pain caused by a tourniquet can be managed by ICBN block during hand and forearm surgery. It is recommended to use US guidance for more success and safety.