title: Combined popliteal and posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh blocks for short saphenous vein stripping in outpatients: an alternative to spinal anesthesia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To compare a combination of peripheral nerve blocks with spinal anesthesia in ambulatory patients undergoing short saphenous vein stripping.
  
  
  METHODS
  Prospective, randomized study.
  
  
  METHODS
  University hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  28 ASA physical status l and II ambulatory surgery patients undergoing short saphenous vein stripping.
  
  
  METHODS
  14 patients received a popliteal block (sciatic nerve block at the popliteal fossa) using 30 ml of alkalinized 3% chloroprocaine and a posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh block with 10 ml of 1% lidocaine. The 14 patients who were randomized to the spinal anesthesia group received 65 mg of 5% hyperbaric lidocaine.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There were no significant differences in age and gender between the two groups (mean age 53 +/- 13 years, 8 men and 20 women). Patients in the peripheral nerve block group recovered significantly faster in phase 1 of the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) (67 +/- 10 min vs. 122 +/- 50 min, p < 0.01) and were discharged home sooner (222 +/- 53 min vs. 294 +/- 69 min, p < 0.01) than the patients in the spinal anesthesia group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The combination of popliteal and posterior cutaneous nerve of the thigh blocks provided adequate anesthesia and a faster recovery profile with a similar subjective acceptance of both anesthetic techniques in ambulatory patients undergoing short saphenous vein stripping in the prone position.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, St. Luke's Roosevelt Hospital Center, New York, NY 10025, USA.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Vloka
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hadzic
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mulcare
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Lesser
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Koorn
authors.forename: D M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Thys
mesh_terms: D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000775:Anesthesia, Spinal; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012501:Saphenous Vein / Q000601:surgery*; D012867:Skin / Q000294:innervation; D013848:Thigh / Q000294:innervation; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures