Abstract
Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular or interscalene brachial plexus block carries the risk of puncturing vascular structures because of vascularity of the posterior triangle of the neck. Although the subclavian artery can be used in identification of the brachial plexus during supraclavicular brachial plexus block, this artery or its branches (transverse cervical artery, dorsal scapular artery, suprascapular artery) can be inadvertently punctured. In this review we describe the anatomy of the vasculature relevant to ultrasound-guided brachial plexus block at the posterior triangle of the neck. Color Doppler is suggested to help detect the arterial branches of the subclavian artery, a step that may be useful in reducing the risk for vascular puncture during ultrasound-guided supraclavicular or interscalene brachial plexus blocks.
