Hadzic's Regional Anesthesia > Part III. Clinical Practice of Regional Anesthesia > Section Six. Blocks for the Lower Extremity > Chapter 32. Clinical Assessment of Lower Extremity Nerve Blocks Joseph M. Neal, MD

Clinical Assessment of Lower Extremity Nerve Blocks: Introduction

"The extent of anesthesia after selective blocks of the peripheral nerves originating from the lumbar and lumbosacral plexi is often assessed before surgery can begin. This assessment may be deceptively difficult if one has incomplete understanding of lower extremity innervation or if the evaluation is hindered by slow onset of sensory block. Conversely, timely evaluation of the block allows the anesthesiologist to identify inadequately anesthetized nerves, thus providing the opportunity to modify the block before incision...."