Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2025

Traumatic Peripheral Nerve Injury in Mice
Published on: March 25, 2022
Peripheral nerve microanatomy: new insights into possible mechanisms for block success
Graeme A McLeod1,2, Amy Sadler3, Andre Boezaart4,5
1Department of Anaesthesia; Imaging Science & Technology, NHS Tayside, Dundee, UK g.a.mcleod@dundee.ac.uk.
None:
Postmortem histology and in vivo, animal-based ultra-high-definition microultrasound demonstrate a complex array of non-communicating adipose tissue compartments enclosed by fascia. Classic nerve block mechanisms and histology do not consider this tissue. Injected local anesthetic agents can occupy any of these adipose compartments, which may explain the significant differences in outcomes such as success rates, onset time, block density, duration of nerve block, and secondary continuous block failure. Furthermore, these adipose tissue compartments may influence injection pressures, making conclusions about needle tip location unreliable. This educational review will explain the neural anatomy associated with these fatty compartments in detail and suggest how they may affect block outcomes.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
Local Anesthetics: Differential Sensitivity of Nerve Fibers
Neuromuscular Junction And Blockade
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia
Peripheral Nervous System: Ganglia and Nerves
Nerves
The nerve is a bundle of axons that serves as the communication highway in the PNS. Each nerve is ensheathed in a protective layer of connective tissue called the epineurium. This outermost layer safeguards the nerve and supports...
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia
One of the advantages of...
Depolarizing Blockers: Mechanism of Action
Succinylcholine is the most commonly used depolarizing blocker. Chemically, it constitutes two molecules of acetylcholine joined together by an acetate methyl group. They act on the receptors in the same way as acetylcholine. Because...

