Brief reports: a comparison of an injection cephalad or caudad to the division of the sciatic nerve for ultrasound-guided popliteal block: a prospective randomized study.

Germain, Geneviève; Lévesque, Simon; Dion, Nicolas; Nadeau, Marie-Josée; Coté, Dany; Nicole, Pierre C; Turgeon, Alexis F · Anesth Analg · 2012

rct · Level II

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Abstract

The optimal site for local anesthetic injection during ultrasound-guided sciatic popliteal block remains controversial. Patients were randomized to receive 25 mL ropivacaine 0.75% around the sciatic nerve cephalad to the peroneal-tibial division in group A (n = 51) or caudad to the division in group B (n = 51). The sensory and motor blocks were evaluated every 5 minutes up to 30 minutes. Rates of complete sensory block and surgical anesthesia were superior in group B (P < 0.0001). The caudad technique provided better surgical anesthesia.

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