It is possible with a patient’s arm abducted and externally rotated (palm behind the head) to easily palpate the axillary artery and therefore locate the position of the axillary sheath. Once the axillary artery has been identified, a small needle can be placed beside the vessel and local anesthetic can be injected on both sides of it. The local anesthetic tracks along the axillary sheath in this region. The brachial plexus surrounding the axillary artery is therefore completely anesthetized and an effective local anesthetic “block” is achieved.