Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jul 2015
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyA Randomized Comparison Between Single- and Triple-Injection Subparaneural Popliteal Sciatic Nerve Block.
This prospective randomized trial compared ultrasound-guided single-injection (SI) and triple-injection (TI) subparaneural popliteal sciatic nerve block. We hypothesized that multiple injections are not required when local anesthetic (LA) is deposited under the paraneurium because the latter entraps LA molecules, ensuring circumferential spread around the nerve. Therefore, in addition to comparable success rates, we also expected similar total anesthesia-related times (sum of performance and onset times) and designed this study as an equivalency trial. ⋯ Ultrasound-guided SI and TI subparaneural popliteal sciatic nerve blocks result in comparable success rates and total anesthesia-related times. Expectedly, the SI technique requires fewer needle passes.