Anatomical landmarks for femoral nerve block: a comparison of four needle insertion sites

Effects of Long-Term Paired Associative Stimulation on Strength of Leg Muscles and Walking in Chronic Tetraplegia: A Proof-of-Concept Pilot Study

Recovery of lower-limb function after spinal cord injury (SCI) is dependent on the extent of remaining neural transmission in the corticospinal pathway. The aim of this proof-of-concept pilot study was to explore the effects of long-term paired associative stimulation (PAS) on leg muscle strength and walking in people with SCI. Five individuals with traumatic incomplete chronic tetraplegia (>34 months post-injury, motor incomplete, 3 females, mean age 60 years) with no contraindications to transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS) received PAS to one or both legs for 2 months (28 sessions in total, 5 times a week for the first 2 weeks and 3 times a week thereafter). The participants were evaluated with the Manual Muscle Test (MMT), AIS motor and sensory examination, Modified Asworth Scale (MAS), and the Spinal Cord Independence Measure (SCIM) prior to the intervention, after 1 and 2 months of PAS, and after a 1-month follow-up. The study was registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT03459885). During the intervention, MMT scores and AIS motor scores increased significantly (p = 0.014 and p = 0.033, respectively). Improvements were stable in follow-up. AIS sensory scores, MAS, and SCIM were not modified significantly. MMT score prior to intervention was a good predictor of changes in walking speed (Radj2 = 0.962). The results of this proof-of-concept pilot study justify a larger trial on the effect of long-term PAS on leg muscle strength and walking in people with chronic incomplete SCI.

Lower extremity regional anesthesia: essentials of our current understanding

The advent of ultrasound guidance has led to a renewed interest in regional anesthesia of the lower limb. In keeping with the American Society of Regional Anesthesia and Pain Medicine's ongoing commitment to provide intensive evidence-based education, this article presents a complete update of the 2005 comprehensive review on lower extremity peripheral nerve blocks. The current review article strives to (1) summarize the pertinent anatomy of the lumbar and sacral plexuses, (2) discuss the optimal approaches and techniques for lower limb regional anesthesia, (3) present evidence to guide the selection of pharmacological agents and adjuvants, (4) describe potential complications associated with lower extremity nerve blocks, and (5) identify informational gaps pertaining to outcomes, which warrant further investigation.

Age is a predictive factor in the femoral nerve positioning: an anatomical ultrasound study

Precise identification of the femoral nerve (FN) is essential for an ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block. We hypothesized that the distance between the FN and the femoral artery (FA) is correlated with patient age. In this prospective observational study, we evaluated the FN-FA (from the lateral edge of the FA to the medial edge of the FN) distance [0.42 ± 0.42 (mean ± standard deviation) cm] in 102 patients using ultrasound. In addition, we calculated the cross-sectional area of the iliopsoas muscle using computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging. Multiple regression analyses revealed that age was significantly and positively correlated with the FN-FA distance (R² = 0.72, p < 0.001) and that this correlation was greater than that between height, weight, or gender and the FN-FA distance. Further, the cross-sectional area of the iliopsoas muscle per weight was significantly correlated with age (R² = 0.54, p < 0.001) and the FN-FA distance (R² = 0.50, p < 0.001). These findings may help refine the ultrasound techniques used for the femoral nerve block.

Successful Management of above Knee Amputation with Combined and Modified Nerve Blocks

We report a successful management of a case of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus positive right lower limb cellulitis for above knee amputation under combined nerve blocks. The ongoing sepsis, thrombocytopenia, and severe respiratory infection with wheeze made us avoid both neuraxial block and general anesthesia and plan for a nerve block. We instituted a modified high inguinal femoral block along with sciatic and lateral femoral nerve blocks separately to successfully conduct the case. We decided to report as there were not as many cases as ours in the literature.

Emergency orthogeriatrics: concepts and therapeutic alternatives

Multidisciplinary orthogeriatric care can enhance prompt ED diagnosis, optimal pre- and postoperative care, and functional recovery in older adults with bony injuries. Emergency care providers should be cognizant of prevalent geriatric syndromes including delirium and standing level falls to minimize fracture-related morbidity. Recognizing the implications of aging physiology, acute care physicians should be aware of effective alternatives to analgesia, procedural sedation, and definitive imaging to promote early surgical management and postoperative recovery.

Use of a stimulating catheter for total knee replacement surgery: preliminary results

BACKGROUND

There is continuing debate as to whether the use of electrical stimulation that aids in localizing nerves is also beneficial for optimizing placement of nerve catheters and lead to improved clinical outcomes, such as reductions in pain scores and opioid consumption.

METHODS

We undertook a retrospective, non-randomized comparison of stimulating and non-stimulating nerve catheters in 419 patients undergoing total knee replacement between December 2002 and July 2004. Before surgery, patients received sciatic and femoral nerve blocks with a catheter for the femoral nerve. In 159 patients a stimulating catheter system (Stimucath; Arrow International, Reading, PA, USA) and in 260 patients a non-stimulating catheter system (Contiplex; B. Braun, Melsungen, Germany) was used. After surgery, pain scores and morphine consumption were recorded at 4-h intervals until the first postoperative morning. In a subset of 85 patients, the postoperative evaluation period was lengthened to 3 days.

RESULTS

Postoperative visual analogue scores (VAS) for pain were similar in the two groups during the first 24 h (P=0.305). In patients followed for 3 days, VAS scores did not differ on any of the days (P=0.427). Total morphine consumption did not differ on the first postoperative day (mean [95% CI]: stimulating, 12.4 [10.1-14.7] mg; non-stimulating 10.4 [8.9-11.8] mg; P=0.140) or on subsequent days.

CONCLUSIONS

The practical advantages of the stimulating catheter, as reported by previous investigators, were not obvious in this clinical situation. In terms of outcome measures such as pain scores and morphine consumption, we found no significant differences between stimulating and non-stimulating catheters.

Regional anaesthesia for orthopaedic surgery

Recently, there has been considerable interest in regional anaesthetic techniques, particularly in peripheral nerve blockade, for orthopaedic limb surgery. Many traditional nerve-block techniques have been significantly modified to improve their role in both in-patient and out-patient surgery. The introduction of long-acting local anaesthetic with a better safety profile as well as better equipment for continuous nerve blockade has further increased the use of such techniques in the provision of postoperative analgesia. The recent developments described in this review are likely to result in wider use of these techniques in years to come.