Regional anesthesia and pain medicine
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jul 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyThe effects of ultrasound-guided adductor canal block versus femoral nerve block on quadriceps strength and fall risk: a blinded, randomized trial of volunteers.
Adductor canal block (ACB) has been suggested as an analgesic alternative to femoral nerve block (FNB) for procedures on the knee, but its effect on quadriceps motor function is unclear. We performed a randomized, blinded study to compare quadriceps strength following adductor canal versus FNB in volunteers. Our hypothesis was that quadriceps strength would be preserved following ACB, but not FNB. Secondary outcomes included relative preservation of hip adduction and degree of balance impairment. ⋯ Compared with FNB, ACB results in significant quadriceps motor sparing and significantly preserved balance.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jul 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialPatient perspectives of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) and methods for improving pain control and patient satisfaction.
This study aimed to (1) identify patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) attributes that negatively impact patient satisfaction and ability to control pain while using PCA and (2) obtain data on patient perceptions of new PCA design features. ⋯ A majority of patients, irrespective of their satisfaction with PCA, preferred a new PCA design. Certain attributes of current PCA technology may negatively impact patient experience, and modifications could potentially address these concerns and improve patient outcomes.
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Reg Anesth Pain Med · Jul 2013
Randomized Controlled TrialAdjuvant dexamethasone for bupivacaine sciatic and ankle blocks: results from 2 randomized placebo-controlled trials.
Perineural dexamethasone may improve post-op analgesia for sciatic blocks but not for ankle blocks when compared with systemic dexamethasone.
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