THE BENEFITS OF ULTRASOUND GUIDED PERIPHERAL NERVE BLOCKS IN ORTHOPEDIC SURGERY

Abstract

Introduction: Peripheral nerve blocks have an increasingly important role as an anesthetic technique for surgical anesthesia, postoperative analgesia, and fast discharge of patients after surgery involving the upper or lower extremities, alone or in combination with spinal or general anesthesia. Ultrasound guidance has become the most popular for performance of peripheral nerve blocks. 

Methods: In our retrospective study, we included all patients that were admitted in our hospital for orthopedic procedures on lower and upper extremities who received peripheral nerve block, alone or in combination with spinal or general anesthesia in the last 5 years. Ultrasound guidance was used and local anesthetic Bupivacaine 0.5%. Dexamethasone 4 mg was given intravenously as an adjuvant to peripheral nerve blocks.

Results: The total number of patients included in our study was 300, the total number of performed peripheral nerve blocks was 302. 144 (48%) patients were male and 156 (52%) - female. The type of performed blocks was: 164 (54%) femoral, adductor canal blocks 22 (7.28%), 26 supraclavicular (8.60%), 77 interscalene (25.49%), 9 axillar (2.98%), 2 popliteal (0.66%), 1 iPACK and 1 TAP block (0.33%). Peripheral nerve blocks were combined with general or spinal anesthesia or performed as a sole technique for intraoperative analgesia in 17 patients (5.67%). 

Discussion: In our hospital we performed ultrasound guided peripheral nerve blocks last years in combination with a general, spinal anesthesia or as a sole technic for intraoperative and postoperative analgesia. Our patients were very satisfied with good postoperative pain control, and no serious complications were observed.

Conclusion: Ultrasound guided peripheral nerve blocks are good choice for intraoperative anesthesia and postoperative analgesia, especially in older patients and patients with a lot of comorbidities.