Background: Regional anesthesia presents considerable advantages over general anesthesia, such as
enhanced hemodynamic stability, superior postoperative pain relief, and expedited postoperative recovery.
Aim: This research aims to evaluate the effectiveness of supraclavicular versus infraclavicular brachial plexus
blocks in patients undergoing surgeries below the elbow.
Patients and Methods: The study was conducted with 70 patients who were scheduled for below-elbow
surgeries. They were divided into two groups: Group A (35 patients receiving supraclavicular block) and Group B
(35 patients receiving infraclavicular block). Data collected included block performance time, onset times for
sensory and motor blocks, block duration, complication rates, block success rate, and the need for intraoperative
analgesia.
Results: Group A experienced significantly quicker onset times for sensory (7 ± 2 minutes) and motor blocks
(8 ± 2 minutes) compared to Group B (sensory: 12 ± 2 minutes, motor: 13 ± 2 minutes), with p-values less than
0.001. The block performance times were similar between the groups (Group A: 9 ± 3 minutes, Group B: 9 ± 2
minutes, p = 0.544). There were no significant differences in the duration of sensory and motor blocks between
the two groups. However, complications were more prevalent in Group A, including issues such as breathing
difficulty, Horner’s syndrome, and vascular puncture.
Conclusion: While the supraclavicular block achieves quicker onset times compared to the infraclavicular
block, it also carries a higher risk of complications. Nevertheless, both methods are effective for providing
anesthesia in below-elbow surgical procedures.