Diagnosis and treatment of nerve injury following venipuncture - A report of two cases

• Published in: Anesthesia and pain medicine (Korean society of anesthesiologists) Vol. 16; no. 3; pp. 299 - 304
• Main Authors: Kim, In Jung, Cho, Hana, Yi, Myung Sub, Park, Yong Hee, Kim, Sujin, Kim, Duk Kyung, Shin, Hwa-Yong
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Korean Society of Anesthesiologists 01.07.2021; 대한마취통증의학회
• Subjects: anesthesiologists; peripheral nerve injuries; Regional Anesthesia; ultrasonography; venipuncture; 마취과학
• ISSN: 1975-5171; 2383-7977; 2383-7977
• DOI: 10.17085/apm.21010

Background: Venipuncture is one of the one of the most commonly performed, minimally-invasive procedures; however, it may lead to peripheral nerve injury. Here, we describe the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of two self-reported cases of nerve injury during venipuncture with the aim of drawing attention to possible needle-related nerve injuries.Case: Two anesthesiologists in our hospital experienced an injury of the lateral antebrachial cutaneous branch of the musculocutaneous nerve during venipuncture. Immediately, they underwent ultrasound examinations and nerve blocks with oral medication, resulting in full recovery.Conclusions: Ultrasonography is important for the early and confirmative diagnosis of a nerve injury during venipuncture, and for immediate treatment with a nerve block. Moreover, it is imperative for both the practitioner and the patient to be aware of the possible complication of nerve injury after venipuncture.