Effects of fixation of clavicle fracture using wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) technique on intra-operative bleeding volume, surgical duration, and post-operatively visual analog scale (VAS); A case series study.

Abstract

Clavicle fractures are common fractures with a rate of 2-5 percent among fractures. Mid-shaft fractures of the clavicle are more common than the other sites of the clavicle. Traditionally, surgical fixation of clavicle fractures has been performed under General Anesthesia (GA). The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of WALANT on intraoperative bleeding, pain control during and after surgery, postoperative complications and patients' function. In the current study, 30 patients with clavicle fractures were surgically fixed using the WALANT technique. The obtained results showed that it could be an effective technique for pain control during the operation and also early postoperative period. Moreover, the WALANT technique could be considered safe in patients who are at risk for GA because of medical comorbidities, cervical spine injuries, or other factors that make intubation difficult.