| Study ID | Block Assessed | Assessments made | Full motor block | Full sensory block | Block onset time | Block duration | Notes |
| Casati 2007a | Axillary (multi‐injection US versus multi‐injection PNS) | 4 nerves tested every 5 min
Sensory: pinprick
Motor: loss of power | Insufficient details | Insufficient details | Motor Block
US: 24 +/‐ 8
PNS: 25 +/‐ 8
P= 0.33
Sensory Block
US: 14 +/‐ 6 min
PNS: 18+/‐ 6 min
P=0.01 | Not assessed | |
| Chan 2007 | Axillary (US versus PNS and US +PNS versus US) | Median, radial + ulnar nerves tested every 5 min for 30 mins
Sensory: pinprick
Motor: Loss of power
Final assessment of adequacy at 30 min | "No significant differences" | US: 53 (82.8%)
P=0.01 (compared to PNS)
US+PNS: 50 (80.7%) P=0.03 (compared to PNS)
PNS: 39 (62.9%) | No numbers given | Not assessed | |
| Danelli 2009 | Popliteal fossa sciatic (multiple injection PNS versus US) | At 30 min post‐block Tibial nerve and peroneal nerve Sensory: pinprick Motor: degree of paresis | Full motor and sensory US: 68% PNS: 36% P=0.07 | Assessed with motor | Peroneal motor block faster with US (US 12.19±4.7 min; PNS 17.93±8.5 min; P=0.028) No difference in tibial nerve or sensory block onset | Not assessed | |
| Dhir 2008 | Infraclavicular brachial plexus (catheter) a. US versus PNS (non‐stim catheter) | Every 5 min up to 30min (Axillary; median; ulnar; musculocutaneous; radial) Sensory and motor | Full motor and sensory (30mins) US: 20/23(87%) PNS: 6/22 (27%) P not clear | Assessed with motor | Not assessed | US: 246.2±50min PNS: 261.6±53.3 P=ns | Success rate for top‐up US: 20/22(91%) PNS: 3/22 (14%) P<0.0001 |
| b. US versus PNS (stim catheter) | Full motor and sensory (30mins) US: 20/23(87%) PNS: 13/19 (68%) P not clear | Assessed with motor | Not assessed | US: 246.2±50 PNS‐stim cath=247.5±49.6 P=ns | Success rate for top‐up US: 20/22(91%) PNS‐stim cath: 15/19 (79%) P not given |
| Dolan 2008 | Fascia iliaca (lumbar plexus) (US versus loss of resistance) | Sensory and motor at 30min Femoral and obturator nerve | Femoral nerve US: 35/39 (90%) LOR: 24//38 (63%) P=0.006 Obturator nerve US: 18/40 (44%) PNS: 9/40 (22%) P=0.033 | US: 33/40 (82%) LOR: 19/40 (47%) P=0.001 | Not assessed | Not assessed | Motor block obturator nerve defined as 20% reduction in adduction power |
| Domingo‐Triado 2007 | Midfemoral sciatic (single injection US+PNS versus single injection PNS) | Sensory: pinprick: tibial, deep and superficial peroneal
Motor: modified Bromage scale: tibial and peroneal nerves
(frequency not stated) | Only onset time reported | US+PNS= 29 (96.7%)
PNS= 22 (71%)
P=0.01 | No numbers given No significant differences in onset times | No difference (patient assessed) | Postop: pts noted times of sensory and motor recovery |
| Dufour 2008 | Popliteal fossa sciatic (multiple injection PNS versus US+PNS) | Sensory and motor every 5 mins until 30mins Sensory: ice (score 0‐2); tibial; deep peroneal; sural Motor: (score 0‐2); tibial nerve; common peroneal | Full motor US+PNS: 65% PNS: 16% P<0.001 | Full sensory US+PNS: 85% PNS: 32% P<0.0002 | Not assessed | Time to first analgesia US+PNS 16.6±2.9 hr PNS 17.1±3.7 hr P=ns | |
| Kapral 2008 | Interscalene brachial plexus (PNS versus US) | Sensory and motor 5min up to 30min Sensory: pinprick (0‐100% sensation); C5/C6/C7/C8/T1 dermatomes Motor: radial/ulnar/median/axillary | At 30 min Significant improved motor block in 2 nerves with US (median/ulnar) P<0.05 | At 30 min: Significant improvement sensory block C8/T1 with US. No difference other dermatomes P<0.05 | US: 10 (6‐13 min) PNS: 22 (11‐28 min) P<0.05 | US: 899min (611‐1020) PNS: 679 (417‐968) P<0.05 | |
| Liu 2005 | Axillary (single and double injection US versus double injection PNS) | One‐off assessment at 40min
Sensory: pinprick: 7 areas cutaneous nerves
Motor: degree of paresis: radial, median, ulnar + musculocutaneous | Motor + sensory
US (single inj): 21 (70%)
US (double inj): 22 (73%)
PNS (double inj): 21 (70%) P=ns | Motor + sensory
US (single inj): 21 (70%)
US (double inj): 22 (73%)
PNS (double inj): 21 (70%)
P=ns | Only assessed at 40 min | Not assessed | |
| Macaire 2008 | Wrist block (median and ulnar) (US versus PNS) | Block assessed every 30sec up to 600 sec (10min) Sensation (ice) median and ulnar nerve (score 0‐2) | Not assessed | US: 28/30 (93%) PNS 27/29 (93%) P=ns | Median nerve: US:371(252‐465) PNS:254(210‐300) P=0.02 Ulnar nerve: US:368 (246‐430) PNS:241(210‐310) P=0.01 | Not assessed | Faster onset with PNS |
| Marhofer 1997 | 3‐in‐1 lumbar plexus (US versus PNS) | At 30 min + every 10 min to 1 hr 3 nerves
Sensory: pinprick
Motor: nnot undertaken | Not assessed | US: 19 (95%)
PNS: 17 (85%) P=ns | Sensory block:
US:16±14 min
PNS:27±16 min
P<0.05 | Not assessed | |
| Marhofer 1998 | 3‐in‐1 lumbar plexus (US versus PNS) | Every 10 min for 1 hr 3 nerves
Sensory: pinprick
Motor: not undertaken | Not assessed | Not assessed | Sensory block
US: 13±16 min
PNS (low dose): 27±12 min
PNS (high dose): 26±13
P <0.01 | Not assessed | |
| Perlas 2008 | Popliteal fossa sciatic (US versus PNS) | Sensory and motor every 5 mins up to 30 min then 10min up to 1 hr Sensory: pinprick (0‐2) (tibial/common peroneal) Motor: muscle strength 0‐2 (tibial/common peroneal) | At 30 min Common peroneal: US: 37 (100%) PNS: 28 (84.8%) Tibial US: 34 (91.9%) PNS: 23 (69.7%) P<0.01 | At 30 min Common peroneal: US: 36 (97.3%) PNS: 27 (81.8%) Tibial US: 33 (89.2%); PNS 23 (69.7%) P<0.01 | Faster onset with US P<0.5 after 10min | Not assessed | |
| Sauter 2008 | Infraclavicular brachial plexus (US versus PNS) | Block assessed every 5 min up to 30min 6 sensory nerves (to ice): axillary; musculocutaneous; radial; median; ulnar; medial antebrachial cutaneous; median brachial cutaneous; intercostobrachial No details of motor assessment | Not given | Not given | US: 13.9 min (SD 5.8) PNS 13.7 (SD 6.6) P=0.99 | Not assessed | No comparison given on motor, sensory scores |
| Sites 2006 | Axillary (multi injection US vs Transarterial) | Median, radial + ulnar every 5 mins for 30 mins
Sensory: to ice
Motor: degree of paresis | US: 23 (82%)
TA: 14 (58%)
P=0.07 | US=21 (75%)
TA=14 (58%)
P=0.2 | Not assessed | Not assessed | |
| Soeding 2005 | Axillary and interscalene (multi‐injection US versus landmark) | At 10 + 20 min and postop (frequency not stated)
Sensory: to ice: 8 areas cutaneous nerves
Motor: change in contraction: 8 muscle groups | Composite motor block scores improved with US P values unclear | Composite sensory scores improved with US at 10 and 20 min P values unclear | Faster onset sensory and motor block in US group P values unclear | US: 11.2±0.59 hr
LM: 10.3±0.62 hr
P= 0.271 | Although P values reported for block characteristics, it is unclear at what points these comparisons were made |
| Williams 2003 | Supraclavicular (US+PNS versus PNS) | Musculocutaneous, median, radial, ulnar every 5 min for 30 min
Sensory: to ice
Motor: loss of force | Motor + Sensory
US: 55%
PNS: 65%
P= 0.25
(at 30min) | Assessed with with motor | Not assessed | US: median 662 min
PNS: 511
P=ns | |
