BACKGROUND
•Ultrasound-guided brachial plexus block techniques are routinely used for upper limb surgery distal to the shoulder.
•However, existing evidence is largely limited to pairwise comparisons, preventing simultaneous evaluation of all available approaches. Consequently, the comparative effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of these techniques remain unclear.
DISCUSSION
•Supraclavicular approach was associated with greater procedural efficiency, whereas axillary blocks demonstrated faster sensory onset and a more favorable safety profile.
•Retroclavicular blocks showed a high probability of ranking among the most favorable techniques for motor block onset, performance time, and adverse event outcomes.
•These findings highlight trade-offs between procedural efficiency, block dynamics, and safety that may help clinicians tailor block selection according to procedural priorities and patient-specific considerations.