Tattoos and administration of regional anesthesia: a comprehensive systematic review protocol.

The review question is what is the impact of tattoos on the administration of regional anesthesia?The quantitative objective is to identify and quantify the risks to a patient when advancing a needle through tattooed skin for the purpose of administering a regional anesthetic.The qualitative objective is to investigate anesthesia providers' perceptions and experiences when presented with a patient and/or a surgeon requests for a regional anesthetic that would require needle trespass through tattooed skin. An additional qualitative objective is to identify the thoughts, opinions and biases related to the administration of a regional anesthetic through tattooed skin from the perspective of the patient, anesthesia provider, surgeon or other affected parties (e.