Podcast 599: Facial Blocks for the Win

Local anesthetics injected directly into wounds can cause distortion - especially important in facial lacerations

Several blocks can be helpful to help numb branches of the trigeminal nerve (CN V) which innervates the face:

Supraorbital nerve block: blocks distribution of V1 (most of the forehead) through injection above the eyebrow
External nasal nerve block: blocks superficial innervation of nose through injection along the nasal dorsum
Infraorbital nerve block: blocks innervation to lip and cheek by injection below the eye
Mental nerve block: blocks innervation to chin and lower lip by injection at the mandible

Zygomatic nerve block: blocks innervation to temporal scalp and lateral aspect of forehead by injection at the temple

Greater auricular nerve block: blocks innervation to on and around the lower ear by injection across the sternocleidomastoid