[Complications of regional anesthesia (author's transl)]

In spite of the great advances in anesthesia, regional anesthesia has not lost its importance. The development of new, longer-acting local anesthetics has extended its indication still more. The causes of accidents lie mostly in ignorance ofthe pharmacology of local anesthetics and their adjuvants, in faulty technical performance of the nerve blockade and last but not least in inadequate knowledge of the therapy, of the side effects and complications. The various complications of regional anesthesia are reported on and the necessary therapy dealt with.