• Jenny Ferry, Owen Lewis, James Lloyd, Kariem El-Boghdadly, Rachel Kearns, Eric Albrecht, Fernando Altermatt, Balakrishnan Ashokka, Amany E Ayad, Ezzat S Aziz, Lutful Aziz, Balavenkatasubramanian Jagannathan, Noreddine Bouarroudj, Ki Jinn Chin, Alain Delbos, Alex de Gracia, IpVivian H YVHYDepartment of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada., Kwesi Kwofie, Sebastian Layera, Clara A Lobo, Mohammed Mohammed, Eleni Moka, Milena Moreno, Bethan Morgan, Arthur Polela, Poupak Rahimzadeh, Suwimon Tangwiwat, Vishal Uppal, Vaz PerezMarceloMDepartament of Anesthesiology and Pain Therapy of Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil., Thomas Volk, Patrick B Y Wong, James S Bowness, and MacfarlaneAlan J RAJRDepartment of Anaesthesia, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK; School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK..
• Department of Anaesthesia, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Newport, South Wales, UK.
• Br J Anaesth. 2024 May 1; 132 (5): 104110481041-1048.

BackgroundRegional anaesthesia use is growing worldwide, and there is an increasing emphasis on research in regional anaesthesia to improve patient outcomes. However, priorities for future study remain unclear. We therefore conducted an international research prioritisation exercise, setting the agenda for future investigators and funding bodies.MethodsWe invited members of specialist regional anaesthesia societies from six continents to propose research questions that they felt were unanswered. These were consolidated into representative indicative questions, and a literature review was undertaken to determine if any indicative questions were already answered by published work. Unanswered indicative questions entered a three-round modified Delphi process, whereby 29 experts in regional anaesthesia (representing all participating specialist societies) rated each indicative question for inclusion on a final high priority shortlist. If ≥75% of participants rated an indicative question as 'definitely' include in any round, it was accepted. Indicative questions rated as 'definitely' or 'probably' by <50% of participants in any round were excluded. Retained indicative questions were further ranked based on the rating score in the final Delphi round. The final research priorities were ratified by the Delphi expert group.ResultsThere were 1318 responses from 516 people in the initial survey, from which 71 indicative questions were formed, of which 68 entered the modified Delphi process. Eleven 'highest priority' research questions were short listed, covering themes of pain management; training and assessment; clinical practice and efficacy; technology and equipment.ConclusionsWe prioritised unanswered research questions in regional anaesthesia. These will inform a coordinated global research strategy for regional anaesthesia and direct investigators to address high-priority areas.Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

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