Digital Block
From Guide to YKHC Medical Practices
Digital block is a safe and effective form of regional anesthesia. It is indicated for analgesia of laceration, fracture, infection or nail injury.
Complications include damage to digital vasculature or nerves.
The digital nerves run in the four corners of the finger. There are two methods of digital block:
- insert needle at 12 o’clock position and angle towards digital nerves, then at 6 o’clock and angle towards inferior digital nerves
- insert needle directly superior to lateral nerves and inject both nerves then repeat on medial nerves.
Neither method is superior, though the first method has less theoretical risk of vascular damage.
Do not use epinephrine.
