Anesthesia in the emergency setting: Part II. Head and neck, eye and rib injuries.

Anesthesia for procedures of the head and neck includes ear field blocks, supraorbital and supratrochlear nerve blocks, infraorbital, mental, mandibular and posterosuperior alveolar nerve blocks. Topical ophthalmic anesthesia is useful in treating a variety of ocular injuries, including corneal abrasion and laceration, chemical/thermal burns, and injuries caused by foreign bodies and contact lenses. The intercostal nerve block is used to manage the pain of rib fractures, thus improving patient comfort, tidal volume and ventilation, and pulmonary toilet.