• Nan Cai, Geng Wang, Li Xu, Yan Zhou, Hao Chong, Yaoping Zhao, Jingxian Wang, Wenjia Yan, Bo Zhang, and Nan Liu.
• Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, 100000, China.
• BMC Anesthesiol. 2022 Dec 16; 22 (1): 392392.

ObjectiveTo explore the impact of artificial-intelligence perceptual learning when performing the ultrasound-guided popliteal sciatic block.MethodsThis simulation-based randomized study enrolled residents who underwent ultrasound-guided sciatic nerve block training at the Department of Anesthesiology of Beijing Jishuitan Hospital between January 2022 and February 2022. Residents were randomly divided into a traditional teaching group and an AI teaching group. All residents attended the same nerve block theory courses, while those in the AI teaching group participated in training course using an AI-assisted nerve identification system based on a convolutional neural network instead of traditional training.ResultsA total of 40 residents were included. The complication rates of paresthesia during puncture in the first month of clinical sciatic nerve block practice after training were significantly lower in the AI teaching group than in the traditional teaching group [11 (4.12%) vs. 36 (14.06%), P = 0.000093]. The rates of paresthesia/pain during injection were significantly lower in the AI teaching group than in the traditional teaching group [6 (2.25%) vs. 17 (6.64%), P = 0.025]. The Assessment Checklist for Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia (32 ± 3.8 vs. 29.4 ± 3.9, P = 0.001) and nerve block self-rating scores (7.53 ± 1.62 vs. 6.49 ± 1.85, P < 0.001) were significantly higher in the AI teaching group than in the traditional teaching group. There were no significant differences in the remaining indicators.ConclusionThe inclusion of an AI-assisted nerve identification system based on convolutional neural network as part of the training program for ultrasound-guided sciatic nerve block via the popliteal approach may reduce the incidence of nerve paresthesia and this might be related to improved perceptual learning.Clinical TrialCHiCTR2200055115 , registered on 1/ January /2022.© 2022. The Author(s).

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