Leeds choose S-Nerve tool

Consultant anaesthetist Frank Loughnane and Dawn Fabbroni with the SonoSite S-Nerve at Leeds General Infirmary.

Anaesthetists at the Plastic and Hand Surgery Day Unit of Leeds General Infirmary have chosen SonoSite’s S-Nerve ultrasound tool to help them in ultrasound needle guidance for administration of regional nerve blocks.

Consultant anaesthetist Dr Frank Loughnane explained: “Ultrasound is much faster for block placement, which is important with busy trauma and elective lists, and makes a pronounced difference in terms of patient comfort. We are also able to reduce the volume of local anaesthetic by 30 to 50 % for some patients, and safety is probably improved in a number of areas, particularly for supraclavicular blocks where there is a well-recognised risk of pneumothorax.”

A full report will be published on page 8 of the February 2009 issue of RAD Magazine.