Patent ID: 7918802

Claim:
A method of locating a target nerve or nerve plexus of a patient for the administration of an anesthetic blockade, the method comprising the steps of: a) providing a carrier having a bore and an electrically nonconductive smooth surface at an end of the bore; b) placing a nerve stimulator needle having a sharp tip within the bore; c) positioning the tip in proximity to the end of the bore; d) coupling a current supply to the tip; e) contacting dermal layers of the patient with the tip, without penetrating the dermal layers and initiating current flow through the patient from the tip; f) moving the end of the bore across the dermal layers while maintaining current flow; g) ascertaining a position of the carrier on the dermal layers which is in registration with the target nerve or nerve plexus by eliciting a neurological response to current flow during step f); and h) fixing the carrier at the ascertained position.