Abstract

Editor--I read with great interest the article by Drs Macfarlane and Anderson, `Infraclavicular brachial plexus blocks' (CEACCP 2009; 9: 139 ­ 143). It was a very good and exhaustive article. However, I would like to point out that the infraclavicular block was first described by Bazy in 19171 and not in 1930 as stated in the article. Shalini Dhir, MD Assistant Professor Department of Anesthesia and Perioperative Medicine Schulich School of Medicine University of Western Ontario London, Canada Reference 1. Bazy L. Anesthesie Regionale, 2nd Edn (in French). 1917; 222­5 Reply from the authors: Editor--Our reference to `first being described in the 1930s' refers to the first description in English in Labat's textbook. We accept that the first description was indeed in French by Bazy in 1917. We thank Dr Dhir for helping to show that a technique that is relatively new and mysterious to modern anaesthetists is in fact almost 100 years old! We would be delighted to see a copy of this original article as we have found it quite elusive to track down. Keith Anderson and Alan Macfarlane doi:10.1093/bjaceaccp/mkp044 Continuing Education in Anaesthesia, Critical Care & Pain | Volume 10 Number 1 2010 & The