Integrating and and chronic pain medicine with ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia to develop creative approaches to pain in the emergency and pre-hospital setting.
The musculocutaneous nerve (arrow) in the distal axilla runs in a fascial between the biceps and the coracobrachialis muscles. The musculocutaneous nerve contributes to the sensory innervation of the elbow; below the elbow it becomes the lateral cutaneous nerve and supplies the skin of the lateral forearm.
Ultrsound-guided block of the muculocutaneous nerve is best done with arm abducted allowing convenient access to the axilla with an in-plane approach. The nerve is easily identified 1-2 cm cephalad to the axillary nerves and vessels.
