Comparison of Conventional and Retroclavicular Approaches for Ultrasound-guided Infraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block in Obese Patients

What this Trial Is About

Researchers are comparing two methods of infraclavicular brachial plexus block, a type of peripheral nerve block used for anesthesia and pain relief in patients undergoing forearm and hand surgeries. This study focuses on patients with obesity (BMI over 30) who require regional anesthesia for surgery and aims to evaluate differences between the conventional and retroclavicular approaches. During the study, participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the conventional or retroclavicular approach to the infraclavicular block. Both methods use the same local anesthetic mixture of 20 ml 0.5% bupivacaine plus 5 ml 2% lidocaine, administered under ultrasound guidance while patients lie in a supine position. The main focus is to measure the time taken to perform the block, along with secondary outcomes such as pain scores up to 24 hours after surgery and patient satisfaction one day after. Participants will be monitored during and after the procedure, with assessments including pain evaluations and satisfaction surveys. The study is quadruple-masked and randomized to ensure unbiased comparison. Researchers will measure block performance time and follow patients' pain and satisfaction for 24 hours postoperatively. The study runs from September 2025 through June 2026 and involves adult patients aged 18 to 80 years with specific anesthesia suitability and health status criteria.

Comparison of Conventional and Retroclavicular Approaches for Ultrasound-guided Infraclavicular Brachial Plexus Block