Early Ultrasound-guided Nerve Block for Painful Hand Injuries in the Emergency Department

Detailed Summary

This study aims to determine whether early initiation of temporary nerve block therapy improves patient satisfaction, decreases patient pain and discomfort, decreases the use of dangerous medications such as narcotics, and frees hospital resources. Hand injuries, such as blast injuries from fireworks, can be very painful. In the emergency department, providers generally use narcotic pain medications to control pain, but these have significant side effects. It is possible that temporary nerve blocks, guided by ultrasound, can be safe and useful in the emergency department. They have been shown to be effective in several studies around the country. The goal of this study is to build on the experience of others to increase the use of US-guided regional nerve blocks as a form of pain management in hand and distal forearm injuries in the Harborview Medical Center (HMC) emergency department. By working with a multidisciplinary team, the study investigators hope to use this technique to decrease narcotic use and improve pain control, and to provide important data for Emergency Medicine physicians elsewhere who are considering incorporating this nerve block technique into their practice.

Study Details

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Interventions