Indications Laceration or other surgically treated lesion of the dorsum of the radial (lateral) half of the hand, including the thumb through the radial half of the ring finger, excluding the fingertips from the index finger through the radial half of the ring finger * Ring removal A nerve block has advantages over local anesthetic infiltration because it can cause less pain (eg, in palmar skin repair) and does not distort tissue. * To anesthetize the entire dorsum of the hand, also do median nerve block and ulnar nerve block.