The relevance of regional anesthesia in orthopaedic surgery: concepts and techniques

Before the advent of anaesthesia in surgical practice, surgeons battled with patient's maximal co-operation during surgical procedures, management of pain intra-operatively and post-operatively. Anaesthesia has greatly aided in overcoming these challenges, but a sizable proportion of reduction in these challenges but approximately 30-80% of patients complain of moderate to severe pain post-operatively indicating that post-operative pain remains a problem. Controlled epidural anaesthesia and controlled peripheral nerve block which are types of regional anaesthesia provide superior pain relief during and after surgery, making regional anaesthesia of particular relevance in orthopaedic surgery. More so, general anaesthesia has some adverse effects on the outcome of operation and the patient. These adverse effects are rare but may be disastrous and life-threatening necessitating close supervision during and after general anaesthesia. Hence, the preference should be towards regional anaesthesia with regards to the choice of anaesthesia in orthopaedic surgery. This review aims to highlight some concepts and techniques on regional anaesthesia in orthopaedic surgery.

The relevance of regional anesthesia in orthopaedic surgery: advantages, disadvantages and challenges

The relevance of regional anaesthesia in orthopaedic surgery cannot be overemphasized because it has aided reduction in intra-operative and post-operative pain which has always been a challenge in surgical practice. It also reduces the risk of haemorrhage and infection. Though there are complications associated with regional anaesthesia, these complications are rare and can be anticipated; thus prompt intervention measures can be instituted. The outcome of every surgical procedure takes into consideration the risks and benefit of the method, and hence, since the benefits of regional anaesthesia in orthopaedic surgery outweighs the risks, it is highly recommended. Regional anaesthesia is of great importance in orthopaedic surgery because it offers continuous but controlled analgesia. It induces hypotension which leads to a reduction in blood loss during operation. It allows early recovery and ambulation of patients, thus reducing the risks associated with prolonged bed stay, which may, in turn, affect the overall outcome of surgery. This review aims to highlight the advantages and challenges of regional anaesthesia in orthopaedic surgery