Epsom Hospital has procured a SonoSite S-Nerve point-of-care ultrasound system.
Consultant anaesthetist, Dr Venu Shylaja, said of the technology: “Many surgical cases are now carried out using ultrasound-guided regional nerve blocks rather than general anaesthesia, for example interscalene blocks for shoulder surgery and axillary blocks for hand surgery. It is crucial that we perform these blocks perfectly and the S-Nerve, purchased by the hospital’s League of Friends, plays a vital role in this.
“The advanced needle visualisation technology makes such a difference; the clarity of the image improves accuracy and precision and our success rate has increased to around 96-97%. Ultrasound guidance also allows us to perform nerve blocks with less anaesthetic, minimising the risk of local anaesthetic toxicity and unnecessarily prolonged motor block occurring, while still ensuring patient comfort throughout the procedure, as well as eliminating the need for opioid painkillers post-operatively.”
