• V Domingo Triadó, L Cabezudo de la Muela, Ma T Crespo Pociello, S Hernández Ramis, F Martínez Ruiz, J M Palanca Sanfrancisco, and B Moro Blázquez.
• Servicio de Anestesiología, Reanimación y Terapéutica del Dolor, Hospital Lluis Alcanyis, Xàtiva, Valencia. vdt5677@mail.ono.es
• Rev Esp Anestesiol Reanim. 2004 Feb 1;51(2):70-4.

AimsTo compare the efficacy and feasibility of the sciatic nerve block performed using either a posterior or a lateral approach to the popliteal fossa, taking into consideration patient comfort during puncture and postoperative analgesia.Patients And MethodsSixty patients scheduled for foot surgery were randomly assigned to 2 groups: a posterior approach was used in performing the sciatic nerve block in 1 group (n = 30) and a lateral approach was in the other group (n = 30). The local anesthetic employed was mepivacaine 1%.ResultsDuration of sensory block was used significantly longer with the lateral approach (5.4 hours, range 3.3-8 hours) than with the posterior approach (4.4 hours, range 1.5-7 hours) (P < 0.001). Time to onset of the block was significantly shorter with the lateral approach (10 minutes, range 5-25 minutes) than with the posterior approach (17 minutes, range 4-45 minutes) (P < 0.01). Quality of the blockade was similar with both approaches.ConclusionsThe lateral approach to the block of the sciatic nerve in the popliteal fossa provides analgesia comparable to that obtained with the posterior approach, with a faster onset and longer postoperative duration.

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