University of Colorado Hospital
Acute Pain Service Reading List
Weekly reading assignments refer to one of two sources:
1. Regional Anesthesia: The Requisites in Anesthesia, Rathmell J et al., editors, Philadelphia,
Elsevier, 2004. (available at the regional anesthesia workstation in AIP Preop, referenced
below as “Requisites”)
2. Hadzic et al. Hadzic’s Peripheral Nerve Blocks and Anatomy for Ultrasound-guided
Regional Anesthesia, 2nd edition, New York, McGraw Hill, 2012. (available at the regional
anesthesia workstation in AIP Preop or purchase for yourself, referenced below as “Hadzic”)
Week 1



Enneking LE. “Lower extremity peripheral nerve blockade: Essentials of our current
understanding.” Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine 2005;30:4-35. (linked to Pubmed)
Weinberg GL. “Current concepts in resuscitation of patients with local anesthetic cardiac
toxicity.” Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine 2002:27:568-75. (linked to Pubmed)
Requisites
o Chapter 18 (Acute Pain)
o Chapter 2 (Pharmacology)
Acute Pain Management
Opioid Pharmacology and PCA
 Morphine, Hydromorphone, Fentanyl
Adjuvants
 Acetaminophen, Non Steroidal Inflammatory Agents
Regional Anesthesiology
Local Anesthetic Pharmacology
 Lidocaine, Bupivacaine, Ropivacaine
 Other: Mepivacaine, Chloroprocaine
 Treating Local anesthetic toxicity – Weinberg article
Techniques
 Femoral Block – anterior approach
 Lumbar Plexus Block
Week 2
Reading:
 Requisites
o Chapter 3 (Local Anesthetic Additives)
o Chapter 8 (Lower Extremity Blocks)
o Chapter 9 (Epidural Anesthesia)
o Chapter 12 (Postdural Puncture Headache)
o Chapter 14 (Neurologic Complications)
Regional Anesthesiology
Neuraxial Anesthesia
 Spinal
 Epidural
Additives
 Epinephrine, clonidine
Complications of Regional Anesthesia
 Peripheral Nerve Block complications
 Neuraxial Anesthesia complications
Techniques
 Sciatic Block – classic Labat, subgluteal, Raj (flexed supine) approaches
 Popliteal Block – intertendinous approach
 Thoracic Epidural
 Ultrasound gel model practice
Week 3
Reading:
 Requisites
o Chapter 13 (Neural Blockade and Anticoagulation)
o Chapter 7 (Regional Anesthesia of the Trunk)
 Hadzic
o Chapter 10 (Neurologic Complications of Peripheral Nerve Blocks)
o Chapter 8 (Regional Anesthesia in the Anticoagulated Patient)
Regional Anesthesiology
 Approach to the patient on Chronic Opioids
 Anticoagulation and Regional Anesthesia
 Bleeding complications of neuraxial blocks
Techniques
 Upper Extremity Techniques
 Paravertebral Block
 Ultrasound techniques
Week 4
Reading:
 Hadzic
o Chapter 18 (Lumbar Plexus Block)
o Chapter 26 (Ultrasound Physics)
o Chapter 27 (Optimizing an Ultrasound Image)
o Chapter 22 (Ankle Block)
Advanced Topics

Ultrasound and Regional Anesthesia

Lumbar plexus block (reinforcement)

Ankle block
Additional Resources
Websites:
 http://www.safeultrasound.org – University of Utah website that has a lot of videos of various
blocks
 http://residentquestions.com/neuraxium/neuraxium.asp - Webapp you can add to your
phone/tablet homescreen with neuraxial anesthesia guidelines for nearly all anticoagulation meds
 http://www.dvcipm.org/clinical-resources/dvcipm-maraa-book-project. 3 page summaries of
blocks with anatomy and pictures.
 http://www.usra.ca/index.php - Online resource with various ultrasound-guided nerve block
techniques.