Methods and apparatus for administering local anesthetic

A method for administering a paravertebral block (PVB) to a patient, the method comprising marking at least some of the patient's cervical (C) and thoracic (T) spinous processes, determining the depth of the patient's transverse process and external intercostal muscle at each C and/or T level to be blocked, administering local anesthetic at the T5 level, introducing a first needle sheathed within a first sheath having an open distal end through which a distal end of the first needle projects at the T5 level, approximately 1.25-2.54 cm lateral from the patient's T5 spinous process under the skin to a depth just above the patient's external intercostal muscle, advancing the sheathed first needle cephalad, at a depth just above the external intercostal muscle of each vertebra, maintaining substantially constant lateral distance of approximately 1.25-2.54 cm from the patient's spinous process, halting advancement of the sheathed first needle when the highest level marked C spinous process is reached, withdrawing the first needle from the first sheath, advancing a first catheter into the first sheath, removing the first sheath while leaving the first catheter in place, connecting a proximal end of the first catheter to a source of local anesthetic, and commencing anesthesia.

A method for administering an adductor canal block (ACB) to a patient, the method comprising identifying the patient's sartorius muscle, advancing a needle sheathed within a sheath having an open distal end through which a distal end of the needle projects, to the base of the sartorius muscle, injecting a few milliliters of a local anesthetic to identify the bottom of the sartorius fascia, advancing the sheathed needle through the sartorius fascia, administering an additional approximately 30 milliliters of a local anesthetic, removing the needle, leaving the sheath in the patient's adductor canal, inserting a catheter into the sheath and advancing a distal end of the catheter through the sheath to the adductor canal, removing the sheath, connecting a proximal end of the catheter to a source of local anesthetic, and commencing anesthesia.

A method for administering a peripheral nerve block to a patient, the method comprising penetrating the body of the patient with a first needle sheathed within a first sheath having an open distal end through which a distal end of the first needle projects, the first needle being treated to render its surface electrically non-conductive except adjacent its distal end, advancing the sheathed first needle to the general location of the nerve to be blocked, passing a current through the first needle and the patient's body to stimulate nerves in the area of the distal end of the first needle, observing the effect of such stimulation, repeating until the distal end of the first needle is at the location of the peripheral nerve to be blocked, administering local anesthetic through the first needle, withdrawing the first needle, inserting a first catheter through the first sheath, connecting a proximal end of the first catheter to a source of local anesthetic, and commencing anesthesia via the first catheter.

A method for administering a peripheral nerve block to a patient, the method comprising penetrating the body of the patient with a first needle sheathed within a first sheath having an open distal end through which a distal end of the first needle projects, advancing the sheathed first needle to the general location of the nerve to be blocked, administering local anesthetic through the first needle, withdrawing the first needle, inserting a first catheter through the first sheath, connecting a proximal end of the first catheter to a source of local anesthetic, commencing anesthesia via the first catheter, introducing a second needle sheathed within a second sheath having an open distal end through which a distal end of the second needle projects into the body of the patient in a direction other than the direction in which the sheathed first needle was directed, advancing the sheathed second needle to the general location of the distal end of the first catheter, withdrawing the second needle, inserting a second catheter through the second sheath, advancing the second catheter past the distal end of the first sheath, removing the first sheath, removing the second sheath, connecting a proximal end of the second catheter to a source of local anesthetic, and commencing anesthesia via the second catheter.

A kit for administering a transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block to a patient, the kit comprising a needle, a sheath having an open distal end through which a distal end of the needle can project, a catheter of a size permitting the catheter to be advanced through the sheath until the catheter extends from a distal end of the sheath, the catheter having a proximal end permitting connecting a proximal end of the catheter to a source of local anesthetic.

A kit for administering a paravertebral block (PVB) to a patient, the kit comprising a first needle, a first sheath having an open distal end through which a distal end of the first needle can project, and a first catheter of a size permitting the first catheter to be advanced through the first sheath until the first catheter extends from a distal end of the first sheath, the first catheter having a proximal end permitting connecting a proximal end of the first catheter to a source of local anesthetic.

A kit for administering an adductor canal block (ACB) to a patient, the kit comprising a needle, a sheath having an open distal end through which a distal end of the needle can project, and a catheter of a size permitting the catheter to be advanced through the sheath until the catheter extends from a distal end of the sheath, the catheter having a proximal end permitting connecting a proximal end of the catheter to a source of local anesthetic.

A kit for administering a peripheral nerve block to a patient, the kit comprising a first needle treated to render its surface electrically non-conductive except adjacent its distal end, a first sheath having an open distal end through which a distal end of the first needle can project, a first catheter of a size permitting the first catheter to be advanced through the first sheath until the first catheter extends from a distal end of the first sheath.

A kit for administering a peripheral nerve block to a patient, the kit comprising a first needle, a first sheath having an open distal end through which a distal end of the first needle can project, a first catheter of a size permitting the first catheter to be advanced through the first sheath until the first catheter extends from a distal end of the first sheath, a second needle, a second sheath having an open distal end through which a distal end of the second needle can project, and a second catheter of a size permitting the second catheter to be advanced through the second sheath until the second catheter extends from a distal end of the second sheath.

A kit for administering a local anesthetic, the kit comprising an ultrasound opaque or semi-opaque introducer and an ultrasound opaque or semi-opaque catheter of a size permitting the catheter to be advanced through the introducer until the catheter extends from a distal end of the introducer.