Regional anesthesia in head and neck surgery

Regional anesthesia in the head and neck area is a common and effective tool for the plastic surgeon. For short procedures, it offers the advantages of convenience and comfort to the patient. In many procedures, in addition, it offers advantages to the plastic surgeon over general anesthesia. A knowledge of anatomy of the course of the sensory nerves in the head and neck is essential to execute regional anesthesia. Some variability is always present. However, the most important factor in success is practice with a specific technique until it is mastered. No attempt was made in this article to provide an exhaustive reference to all acceptable forms of anesthesia. An attempt was made, however, to indicate one or two successful methods for each type of commonly used block so that when studied and practiced it can be expected to yield consistent results. Some repetition has been unavoidable because the intent has been to provide a relatively self-contained section for each block so that it may be as a reference without having to read the entire article. It is hoped that frequent practice will result in effective local and regional anesthesia in the head and neck area.