Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2017
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyProspective, Double-Blind, Randomized Study to Evaluate Single-Injection Adductor Canal Nerve Block Versus Femoral Nerve Block: Postoperative Functional Outcomes After Total Knee Arthroplasty.
Despite multiple clinical trials comparing the adductor canal block (ACB) with femoral nerve block (FNB) for total knee arthroplasty, none looked at the aforementioned nerve blocks from early functional results to up to 6 months after surgery. ⋯ The ACB showed better preservation of quadriceps muscle strength and improved ambulation in the first 24 hours postoperatively without compromising pain control.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2017
Randomized Controlled TrialEffect of Nerve Stimulation Use on the Success Rate of Ultrasound-Guided Subsartorial Saphenous Nerve Block: A Randomized Controlled Trial.
Ultrasound-guided subsartorial saphenous nerve block is commonly used to provide complete surgical anesthesia of the foot and ankle in combination with a popliteal sciatic nerve block. However, in part owing to its small caliber and absence of a prominent vascular landmark in the subsartorial plane distal to the adductor canal, the saphenous nerve is more difficult to reliably block than the sciatic nerve in the popliteal fossa. Although the saphenous nerve is a sensory nerve only, neurostimulation can be used to elicit a "tapping" sensation on the anteromedial aspect of the lower leg extending toward the medial malleolus. Our objective was to test the hypothesis that the addition of nerve stimulation use to an ultrasound (US)-guided technique will increase the success rate of subsartorial saphenous nerve block. ⋯ The addition of the use of nerve stimulation did not improve the success rate of US-guided subsartorial saphenous nerve block. However, in the NS group, an inability to elicit a "tapping" sensation in the saphenous nerve distribution was associated with block failure.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2017
Randomized Controlled TrialFluoroscopic Guidance Increases the Incidence of Thoracic Epidural Catheter Placement Within the Epidural Space: A Randomized Trial.
Thoracic epidural analgesia can reduce postoperative pain and cardiopulmonary morbidity, but it is associated with a high rate of clinical failure. Up to 50% of clinical failure is thought to be related to technical insertion. In this study, patients undergoing thoracic surgery were randomized to one of two catheter insertion techniques: fluoroscopically guided or conventional loss of resistance with saline/air. Our primary aim was to examine whether fluoroscopic guidance could increase the incidence of correct catheter placement and improve postoperative analgesia. Our secondary aim was to assess the potential impact of correct epidural catheter positioning on length of stay in the postanesthesia care unit and total hospital length of stay. ⋯ Fluoroscopic guidance increases the incidence of epidural catheter positioning within the epidural space and may reduce postanesthesia care unit and hospital lengths of stay. Future work should validate the effectiveness of this approach.This clinical trial is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT02678039).
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jan 2017
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyA Prospective Randomized Comparative Trial of Targeted Steroid Injection Via Epidural Catheter Versus Standard C7-T1 Interlaminar Approach for the Treatment of Unilateral Cervical Radicular Pain.
No study has compared cervical interlaminar epidural steroid injection (CIESI) with epidural catheter advancement to the side and level of pathology versus standard C7-T1 CIESI. This study investigated whether cervical radicular pain is more effectively treated by CIESI with a targeted epidural catheter versus a standard C7-T1 approach. ⋯ This trial showed no significant difference in clinical outcomes with CIESI using a targeted epidural catheter compared to a standard C7-T1 approach for the treatment of unilateral cervical radicular pain at the C5 or C6 level. Both techniques were associated with clinically meaningful improvement across outcome domains of pain, function, disability, and medication use. These effects persisted to 6-month follow-up.The study was registered at Clinical Trials.gov (NCT02095197).