Regional anaesthesia for Ambulatory Surgery

ABSTRACT

Regional anaesthesia has an important and ever-expanding role in ambulatory surgery. Specific practices vary depending on preferences and resources of the anaesthesia team and hospital setting. It is used for various purposes, including as a primary anaesthetic technique for surgery but also as an postoperative analgesic modality. The limited duration of action of currently available local anaesthetics limit their application in postoperative pain control and enhanced recovery. The search of the holy grail of regional anaesthetics continues. Current evidence suggests that a peripheral nerve block performed with long acting local anaesthetics in combination with intravenous or perineural dexamethasone, gives the longest and most optimal sensory block. In this review we outline some possible blocks for ambulatory surgery and additives to perform regional anaesthesia. Moreover, we give an update on local anaesthesia drugs and adjuvants, paediatric regional anaesthesia in ambulatory care, and discuss the impact of regional anaesthesia by COVID-19.