Intravenous Regional Analgesia (Biers Block) — Safe or Not?

Abstract

The concept of using Intravenous Regional Analgesia (IVRA) in the mass casualty situation is potentially an attractive alternative to the use of general anesthesia in the management of limb fractures. The purpose of this paper is to outline the history and development of the technique and emphasize important guidelines designed to increase the safety of the method.