1. Patient Guide to Continuous Nerve Block Catheter

2. General Information
To help with pain relief after your surgery, the doctor will place a nerve block catheter. This tiny tube (catheter) is connected to a pump that will deliver numbing pain medication to provide pain relief in the area you had surgery. It is common to experience some numbness and tingling in the surgical arm or leg while receiving this medication. You may still have some pain with a nerve block catheter and need to take additional pain pills as prescribed by your doctor. The hope is that with a nerve block, your pain pill use will be less.
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3. Nerve Block Equipment
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4. Nerve Block Placement
The most common areas for nerve blocks to be placed are:
Mid-thigh – Knee surgery
Neck – Shoulder surgery
Above the back of knee on the outer side of the leg – Foot/ankle surgery
Here are some pictures of each nerve block and the areas of the body the nerve block covers.
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5. Shoulder block – Blue area on arm in diagram is the area covered by nerve block
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6. Knee block – Blue area on leg in diagram is the area covered by nerve block
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7. Ankle block – Red area on leg in diagram is the area covered by nerve block
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8. What to know about the pump and nerve block
Every day you must check that the patient dose button is flashing green
Check that the numbers on the screen are counting up
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9. Do’s and Don’ts Don’t submerge pump in water
Don’t get dressing or pump wet
Don’t drop the pump or strike it against hard surfaces
Do not drive or operate machinery while the catheter is in place
Avoid exposure to extreme hot and/or cold to your arm or leg. The ability to sense temperature can be impacted.
Ask for help when getting up and moving around to avoid fall or injury.
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10. Before Discharge You must demonstrate the following steps:
Starting and pausing the pump
Turning the pump on and off
Removal of battery and cartridge in preparation for return shipment
You or your caregiver will have to return demonstrate so please ensure they are available throughout the day of surgery/discharge day
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11. Removing your nerve block
If the medication bag is flat and looks empty, it is time to stop the nerve block. Because your catheter is not stitched in place removal is easy for you or your caregiver to perform
Please ensure you follow the steps on the next slide
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12. Instructions for Removing your Nerve Block Catheter
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13. Who to call with questions after you leave the hospital
The pump is supplied by OR Dynamics. If you have any questions about your pump please contact OR Dynamics 24-hour hotline at
If no return call in 5 – 10 mins call
Contact OR Dynamics if you experience:
A sudden increase in pain not relieved by additional medication
Unexpected alarm sounds
Any questions relating to the use of the pump
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14. Returning your pump
Return the pump in the plastic-lined, padded mailer.
Do not send back the cassette, the medication bag, the tubing or the fanny pack, this should all be discarded as waste. Remove the batteries before returning the pump.
You can keep the batteries and fanny pack (wash before use)
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