A randomised controlled trial of intrathecal blockade versus peripheral nerve blockade for day-case knee arthroscopy

Anaesthesia. 2016 Mar;71(3):280-4. doi: 10.1111/anae.13361. Epub 2016 Jan 6.

Abstract

We allocated 100 patients scheduled for day-case knee arthroscopy to unilateral spinal anaesthesia with 40 mg intrathecal hyperbaric prilocaine or to ultrasound-guided femoral-sciatic nerve blockade with 25 ml mepivacaine 2%, 50 participants each. The median (IQR [range]) time to walk was 285 (240-330 [160-515]) min after intrathecal anaesthesia vs 328 (280-362 [150-435]) min after peripheral nerve blockade, p = 0.007. The median (IQR [range]) time to home discharge was 310 (260-350 [160-520]) min after intrathecal anaesthesia vs 335 (290-395 [190-440]) min after peripheral nerve blockade, p = 0.016. There was no difference in time from anaesthetic preparation to readiness for surgery.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Randomized Controlled Trial

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Adult
  • Aged
  • Ambulatory Surgical Procedures*
  • Anesthesia Recovery Period
  • Anesthetics, Local / administration & dosage
  • Anesthetics, Local / therapeutic use*
  • Arthroscopy*
  • Female
  • Femoral Nerve / diagnostic imaging
  • Femoral Nerve / drug effects
  • Humans
  • Injections, Spinal*
  • Knee Joint / surgery*
  • Length of Stay / statistics & numerical data
  • Male
  • Mepivacaine / administration & dosage
  • Mepivacaine / therapeutic use
  • Middle Aged
  • Nerve Block / methods*
  • Peripheral Nerves / diagnostic imaging
  • Peripheral Nerves / drug effects
  • Prilocaine / administration & dosage
  • Prilocaine / therapeutic use
  • Sciatic Nerve / diagnostic imaging
  • Sciatic Nerve / drug effects
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome
  • Ultrasonography, Interventional
  • Young Adult

Substances

  • Anesthetics, Local
  • Prilocaine
  • Mepivacaine