[Use of axillary perivascular blockage of the brachial plexus with a catheter as treatment in accidental intra-arterial injection of drugs]. / Utilización del bloqueo perivascular axilar del plexo braquial mediante catéter como tratamiento de la inyección accidental intraarterial de fármacos.

We report the intraarterial injection of a flunitrazepam tablet dissolved in water in a patient with intravenous drugs addiction. Several ecchymotic lesions were present at different sites of the arm. In order to achieve analgesia and the sympathetic blockade of the arm, we performed an axillary perivascular block of the brachial plexus by means of the intermittent injection through a catheter of 0.25% bupivacaine with a 1:200,000 epinephrine solution. In addition, an anticoagulant treatment with heparin was started as prophylaxis of the thrombosis of the vessel. There was a satisfactory clinical course even though a distal phalange had to be amputated on the 18th day. We propose the continuous perivascular block as the method of choice of this type of medical problem.