Practical Review of Peripheral Nerve Blocks in Dermatologic Surgery of the Face

Peripheral nerve blocks represent an invaluable tool for dermatologic surgeons. Specifically, blockade of the supraorbital and supratrochlear, infraorbital, or mental nerves provides adequate anesthesia to a large area with minimal discomfort to the patient. Extirpation of large facial carcinomas, full or partial facial resurfacing, lip augmentation, and photodynamic therapy for extensive facial actinic keratosis represent several of the commonly used applications of facial nerve blocks. Appropriate understanding of the anatomy and nuances of these peripheral nerve blocks allows the clinician to confidently perform them with minimal risks and maximum patient comfort.