Peripheral nerve blockade as a stand-alone method of anesthesia in lower limb surgeries
Keywords:
peripheral nerve blockade, anesthetic technique, success rateAbstract
Reflecting the growing attention to pain, the American Pain Society has defined it as the 5th vital sign and stated that the success or failure of surgery is determined by the management of postoperative pain. Peripheral nerve blocks with local anesthetics have been part of the perioperative analgesia regimen for many years. Many studies have demonstrated their effectiveness. These studies demonstrate that patients who receive peripheral nerve blocks experience reduced postoperative pain, have fewer requirements for analgesia, and report greater satisfaction with pain management. However, can these blockades be used as a stand-alone method of anesthesia just as effectively? Objective and Methods: The objective of our study was to determine whether peripheral nerve blocks are a reliable and successful method of anesthesia used alone. The prospective randomized study included 60 patients who underwent PNB under ultrasound control as a stand-alone method of anesthesia for performing surgical intervention in the lower limb in the operating rooms of the Department of Orthopedics, Traumatology and Reconstructive Surgery at the Military Medical Academy, Sofia Hospital. We performed a statistical analysis of the data regarding the success rate of PNB, the need for additional medication or sedation, the need to switch to another type of anesthesia, the duration of the surgical intervention and patient satisfaction. Conclusion: PNB proves to be a reliable and successful method of anesthesia used in combination with light sedation of patients. As a stand-alone anesthetic technique, even when using an ultrasound, the success rate is significantly reduced compared to its use in combination with additional medication.
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Journal Bulgarian Medical Journal (Български медицински журнал / Bulgarian Medical Journal)
