A prospective, randomized comparison between the popliteal and subgluteal approaches for continuous sciatic nerve block with stimulating catheters.
In this prospective, blinded study, we randomized 56 patients undergoing hallux valgus repair to receive continuous sciatic nerve block using a subgluteal (n = 28) or a posterior popliteal approach (n = 28) with a perineural stimulating catheter. Postoperatively, the stimulating catheter was connected to a patient-controlled analgesia pump with 0.0625% levobupivacaine (basal infusion rate of 3 mL/h, patient-controlled bolus dose of 3 mL, and lockout time of 20 min). Both approaches provided similar postoperative analgesia; however, local anesthetic consumption was larger in the popliteal group (4.9 +/- 1.4 mL/h) compared with the subgluteal group (3.8 +/- 1.1 mL/h; P < 0.05). We conclude continuous postoperative analgesia using stimulating catheters was effective at both injection sites; however, a subgluteal approach reduced the overall amount of local anesthetic.
Taboada
Manuel
M
University of Santiago de Compostela, Department of Anesthesiology, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Santiago, Spain. manutabo@yahoo.es
Rodríguez
Jaime
J
Valiño
Cristina
C
Vazquez
Miriam
M
Laya
Araceli
A
Garea
Manuel
M
Carceller
Javier
J
Alvarez
Julian
J
Atanassoff
Vanessa
V
Atanassoff
Peter G
PG
D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002404:Catheterization / Q000379:methods*; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D050488:Hallux Varus; D006801:Humans; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain; D012584:Sciatic Nerve
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D000077554:Levobupivacaine; D002045:Bupivacaine