title: Multimodal clinical pathways, perineural catheters, and ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia: the anesthesiologist's repertoire for the 21st century.
abstract: Regional anesthesia is making a comeback because of improved technology and research that shows that its use results in less discomfort for patients and shorter hospital stays. This article provides a brief history of regional anesthesia, describes current techniques for administering it, and discusses potential benefits associated with it. It also describes Mayo Clinic's Total Joint Regional Anesthesia Clinical Pathway, a comprehensive care plan for patients undergoing joint replacement surgery that uses peripheral nerve blockade and multimodal analgesia.
authors.affiliation: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, USA.
authors.forename: Adam D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Niesen
authors.forename: James R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Hebl
mesh_terms: D000700:Analgesics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000765:Anesthesia, Conduction / Q000379:methods*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D019091:Critical Pathways / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006801:Humans; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods*; D008910:Minnesota; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D000700:Analgesics