Local anaesthetic techniques for the equine head, towards guided techniques and new applications

Summary Perineural nerve blocks are often used in equine practice, especially since the use of diagnostic and surgical procedures in the standing sedated horse have expanded over recent decades. The purpose of this review is to discuss the different perineural nerve blocks for the equine head. The review starts with the currently most used blind approaches as described in textbooks and scientific studies. In human medicine, the role of guided techniques, such as ultrasound guidance, advanced imaging guidance and nerve stimulator guided techniques, is very extensively described. These techniques are promising to use in equine medicine as well. The first studies that describe these techniques in equine cases are also discussed in this review, as well as the possibilities for neuromodulation in equine pain syndromes like equine trigeminus‐mediated headshaking and the role of perineural nerve blocks in diagnosing this syndrome.