After the Brachial Plexus Block Procedure

What Happens After the Procedure?

After the brachial plexus block is performed, we will continue to monitor you in the recovery room for 30 to 40 minutes. If there are no signs of any problems, you will be ready to leave. If you have any questions after your procedure, the medical staff of the Pain Management Center is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During normal business hours, you can reach either the nurse or physician by calling 650-723-6238. After hours, the physician on call can be reached by calling the Stanford University Hospital page operator at 650-723-6661.

Postprocedural instructions

These will be provided for you, in further detail, by the recovery room nurse, prior to your discharge from the Ambulatory Surgery Center. These instructions should include; no driving or operating heavy machinery for 24 hours after the procedure. This is recommended secondary to the fact that you have received intravenous medication during a procedure which may impair your ability to perform these tasks.

Also, some patients notice weakness in the arm or shoulder that has been blocked. It is important, therefore, for you not to attempt to lift heavy objects with this arm for 12 to 24 hours after the procedure.

What should I do if any problems develop after I leave the hospital?

If you have any questions after the procedure, the medical staff of the Pain Management Center is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week. During normal business hours, you can reach either the nurse or physician by calling 650-723-6238. After hours, the physician on call can be reached by calling the Stanford University Hospital page operator at 650-723-6661.