Supraclavicular brachial plexus anatomical variation leading to rare left recurrent laryngeal nerve block along with block failure: A case report

Hoarseness of voice resulting from recurrent laryngeal nerve block is occasionally seen after interscalene brachial plexus block, but chances are remote in the case of supraclavicular approach with a reported incidence of 1.3% and rarer on left compared with the right side. Anatomical variations not only increase the chances of block failure but also increase the risk of side effects or complications. We report a case of hoarseness of voice after left-sided supraclavicular brachial plexus block in a variant anatomy that completely resolved after 10–12 h postoperatively. Hence, whenever anatomical variation is found in sonography, extreme caution should be taken while administering block.