Plastic and reconstructive surgery
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Plast. Reconstr. Surg. · Oct 2004
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialComparison of transthecal digital block and traditional digital block for anesthesia of the finger.
A randomized, double-blind study was performed in 50 patients to compare the transthecal and traditional subcutaneous infiltration techniques of digital block anesthesia regarding the onset of time to achieve anesthesia and pain during the infiltration. All the patients had sustained injury involving two or four fingers of the hand. Each patient served as his or her own control, having one finger infiltrated with the transthecal technique and the other with the subcutaneous infiltration technique. ⋯ However, none of the patients who received the subcutaneous infiltration block complained of pain at the digit. The technique of anesthesia preferred by patients for their finger was the subcutaneous infiltration block, because it causes less pain. Our results confirm the efficacy of the transthecal block for achieving anesthesia of the finger; however, because it is a more painful procedure, it is not recommended.