Selective blockade of the dorsal scapular nerve for scapula surgery ★

• The dorsal scapular nerve is a proximal branch of the brachial plexus.
• This nerve supplies the rhomboid and levator scapulae muscles while providing significant sensory innervation to the scapula.
• The dorsal scapular nerve may be imaged using ultrasound.
• An ultrasound-guided dorsal scapular nerve block provided analgesia after scapula surgery.
• Selective blockade of this nerve results in specific analgesia of the scapula, while sparing sensory and motor function of the ipsilateral arm.

The dorsal scapular nerve, a proximal branch of the brachial plexus, may be imaged using ultrasound. This nerve supplies the rhomboid and levator scapulae muscles while providing significant sensory innervation to the scapula. An ultrasound-guided nerve block of the dorsal scapular nerve provided analgesia after surgery of the scapula. Selective blockade of this nerve, without blocking the remainder of the brachial plexus, results in specific analgesia of the scapula, sparing sensory and motor function of the ipsilateral arm.