WALANT versus intravenous regional anesthesia for carpal tunnel syndrome: a randomized clinical trial

American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons/ASSH Clinical Practice Guideline Summary Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome

Management of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guideline is based on a systematic review of published studies with regard to the diagnosis and treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome in adult patients (≥18 years of age). The scope of this guideline addresses the diagnosis and treatment of carpal tunnel syndrome and contains nine recommendations to assist orthopaedic surgeons and all qualified clinicians managing patients presenting with signs and symptoms which may be attributable to carpal tunnel syndrome based on the best current available evidence. It is also intended to serve as an information resource for professional healthcare practitioners, health services researchers, and developers of practice guidelines and recommendations. In addition to providing pragmatic practice recommendations, this guideline also highlights gaps in the literature and informs areas for future research and quality measure development.

Return to driving after carpal tunnel syndrome surgery

BACKGROUND

Carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) surgery is one of the most frequent procedures performed in hand surgery and has long been shown to be effective. However, there are still no recommendations concerning the return to driving after the operation. The aim of this study was to determine the average time to return to driving after CTS surgery, and to identify the factors influencing this time.

HYPOTHESIS

Providing appropriate information on this issue could help to anticipate patients' post-operative needs, facilitating the post-operative process.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

Patients who underwent surgery for CTS between 16 November 2022 and 14 November 2023, and who answered a simplified questionnaire at the follow-up visit were included retrospectively and monocentrically. Demographic characteristics, pre- and post-operative parameters and results of additional examinations were analyzed.

RESULTS

One hundred and seven patients were included in this study. The mean time to return to driving was 16 days. This time was significantly longer in female patients (p = 0.035), in patients who had had their medical discharge postponed (p < 0.01), and in those with a perception of work distress (p < 0.01). Patients who were not working returned to driving sooner (p = 0.018), as those with a higher nerve conduction velocity on the preoperative electroneuromyography (p = 0.022).

DISCUSSION

Sex, professional activity, perception of difficulty at work and preoperative nerve conduction velocity seems to be influencing the time taken to resume driving.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV; retrospective study.

Network meta-analysis comparing WALANT, locoregional, local and general anesthesia techniques in carpal tunnel release

Purpose

To compare anesthesia techniques (WALANT (wide-awake anesthesia no tourniquet), locoregional anesthesia, local anesthesia with tourniquet or sedation) for carpal tunnel release (CTR).

Methods

A comprehensive literature search was conducted on PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase and the Cochrane Library up to May 2023. Two independent reviewers selected the studies and extracted the data. The primary outcomes included the pain experienced at the moment of anesthesia and during the surgery and the mean morphine equivalents (MME) administered following the surgery and overall patient satisfaction. Our secondary outcomes consisted of the mean room occupancy time and the mean duration of the procedure, followed by the complication rate. The review process was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines.

Results

A total of 3166 studies were identified, which included 23 studies comparing various anesthesia types and 28,748 CTR surgeries. The WALANT group experienced significantly lower pain levels during anesthesia (-2.67 (95% CIs: 0.12-4.99)) and surgery (-2.04 (95% CIs: 0.08-4.07)) compared to the local anesthesia group. There was no difference in the use of MME for pain relief among different anesthesia techniques. Satisfaction rates were comparable, but WALANT exhibited the highest probability for utmost satisfaction. The mean room occupancy time was lower in patients receiving local anesthesia compared with when sedation was added, with a mean difference of -27.16 (95% CIs: -52.03 to -1.85).

Conclusions

The WALANT technique for CTR reported better outcomes for pain (during anesthesia and surgery), higher satisfaction and low probability to expand the operating room occupancy time.

Level of evidence

Level II of evidence.

Reporting Clinical Outcomes in Hand Surgery Randomized Controlled Trials: A Systematic Review Using Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet Studies as a Model

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to comprehensively evaluate clinical outcome reporting in hand surgery randomized controlled trials (RCTs), using wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) studies as a model.

Methods

This International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews-registered systematic review (CRD42023461653) adheres to preferred reporting items for systematic reviews and meta-analysis guidelines, focusing on RCTs evaluating WALANT in hand and upper limb surgery. A systematic search across five databases was conducted to include all eligible articles from inception until search date (April 1, 2023). Inclusion criteria encompassed WALANT RCTs in upper limb surgery, with exclusion criteria addressing non-RCTs and non-English studies. Data extraction covered study characteristics, patient demographics, procedures performed, and outcomes reported. The revised Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials was employed for quality assessment.

Results

The search identified 304 articles-after screening, 11 were included for analysis, encompassing 889 patients in WALANT RCTs. Technical outcomes were most reported (73%), whereas functional was least commonly reported (36%). The analysis encompassed a heterogeneous patient cohort, with an average follow-up period of 41.3 days. Challenges in standardizing functional outcomes and patient-reported outcomes were identified. The Cochrane risk-of-bias tool for randomized trials indicated an overall low risk, affirming the methodological rigor of the included studies.

Conclusions

A significant diversity in outcome reporting and assessment tools was identified, emphasizing the challenges in standardization and outcome reporting across RCTs. Although technical outcomes were prevalent, patient-reported and functional outcomes were often lacking. The study underscores the need for further research standardization to optimize patient care and advance evidence-based decision making, as variability in outcomes reporting hinders the ability to draw consistent conclusions and comparisons across studies.

Type of study/level of evidence

Therapy/Prevention, Etiology/Harm IA.

Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet in hand surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis

WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet) has been widely implemented in hand surgery. We conducted a systematic review from 1979 to 2022, led by a team of anesthesiologist. Only randomized studies comparing WALANT to other types of regional anesthesia were included. The outcomes studied were pain, duration of the procedure, intraoperative bleeding, complications, and patient satisfaction. Twelve articles were included in the analysis. We found a reduction of 2.77 on the VAS (95% CI -3.79; -1.75, I² 93%) for intraoperative pain in the WALANT group. There was no significant difference (MD 0.79, 95% CI 95% -0.11; 1.69, I² 73%) for duration of surgery. Patient satisfaction was consistently high in the WALANT group. Intraoperative bleeding was minimal and not clinically relevant. Compared to other types of regional anesthesia in hand surgery, the WALANT technique decreases pain for the patients without increasing the length of surgery.

Evaluating patient satisfaction with WALANT for hand surgery: a comprehensive questionnaire-based study

INTRODUCTION

There has been an increase in the popularity of the wide-awake local anesthesia no-tourniquet (WALANT) procedure for various upper limb surgeries. The present study aims to conduct a comprehensive analysis of the satisfaction levels of 106 patients, considering factors such as age, gender, comorbidities, and the specific procedures they underwent.

METHOD

The present study was a retrospective cohort study conducted to analyze the overall satisfaction of a cohort of 106 patients who underwent various surgical procedures of the hand between 2018 and 2023. The satisfaction was assessed with a questionnaire comprising 13 questions/statements adjusted to a standard Swiss grading system (from 1 = I strongly agree to 6 = I strongly disagree).

RESULTS

Overall satisfaction with WALANT was high, with most patients expressing positive experiences. Patients with hypertension reported similar satisfaction levels compared to those without, while diabetic patients experienced significantly higher anxiety levels during the procedure (p > 0.05).

CONCLUSION

WALANT exhibits versatility as an anesthesia choice, demonstrating efficacy in both routine and complex hand surgeries. Our survey-based study reveals a high satisfaction level across diverse procedures. When assessing the correlation between WALANT satisfaction and patient comorbidities, hypertension displayed no significant impact, while diabetic patients reported heightened anxiety. Importantly, patient satisfaction remained consistently high even within the subgroup with comorbidities. Our results underscore WALANT's reliability in upper limb surgery, showcasing its usefulness and positive outcomes across a broad range of patients and surgical procedures.

The Outcome of the WALANT Technique in Primary Hand Flexor Tendons Repair

Introduction

Wide-awake local anesthesia and no tourniquet (WALANT) represents a revolutionary technique for hand surgeons who dismiss tourniquets and sedation. In this study, we present our experience with the WALANT technique in primary flexor tendon injuries of the hand.

Patient and methods

This prospective research was carried out on 30 patients undergoing hand primary, flexor tendon repair surgery. Flexor tendon injury zones 2, 3, 4, and 5 were included. WALANT was prepared and injected. The tendons were surgically managed by a cruciate single cross-stitched locked 4-strand technique. The pain was assessed using a visual analog scale (VAS) score. The range of motion (ROM) of affected fingers was assessed according to the Strickland evaluation system.

Results

There was a highly significant relationship between the patient's compliance with physiotherapy and obtained ROM of the affected finger with a P value <0.001. During injection of WALANT solution, 4 cases (13.3%) had no pain, 25 cases (83.3%) had mild pain (score 1-4), and 1 case (3.3%) had moderate pain (score 5-7).

Conclusion

WALANT provides an optimal bloodless and comfortable field with an opportunity to assess the strength of tendon repair, gapping or triggering and managing them intra-operatively.

Complications and side effects of Wide-Awake Local Anaesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT) in upper limb surgery: a systematic review and meta-analysis

PURPOSE

Wide-Awake Local Anaesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT), a groundbreaking anaesthetic technique resurging in practice, warrants a comprehensive safety analysis for informed adoption. Our study aimed to identify complications/side effects of WALANT upper limb procedures through a systematic review and meta-analysis.

METHODS

This PROSPERO-registered study was performed with strict adherence to PRISMA guidelines. Embase, OVIDMedline, Cochrane, Web of Science, and Scopus databases were searched until February 2023. Inclusion criteria involved English articles, reporting complications/side effects in primary WALANT upper limb surgeries. Outcomes included all complications and side effects, data on the anaesthetic mixture, publication year/location, study type, and procedures performed. The meta-analysis employed the Freeman-Tukey Double Arcsine Transformation, computed I2 statistics, and utilized common or random effects models for pooled analysis.

RESULTS

2002 studies were identified; 79 studies met the inclusion criteria representing 15,595 WALANT patients. A total of 301 patients had complications, and the meta-analysis using a random effects model provided a complication rate of 1.7% (95% CI: 0.93-2.7%). The most reported complications were superficial infection (41%, n = 123/300), other/specified (12%, n = 37/300), and recurrent disease (6.7%, n = 20/300). A decade-by-decade analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in complication rates spanning the last three decades (p = 0.42). Adding sodium bicarbonate to the anaesthetic solution significantly reduced postoperative complications (p = 0.025).

CONCLUSION

WALANT has a low overall complication rate of 1.7%, with no significant temporal variation and a significant reduction in complications when sodium bicarbonate is added to the anaesthetic solution. Our findings support the safety of WALANT in upper limb procedures.

REGISTRATION

PROSPERO: CRD42023404018.

Optimization of Carpal Tunnel Syndrome Using WALANT Method

As surgical management of carpal tunnel release (CTR) becomes ever more common, extensive research has emerged to optimize the contextualization of this procedure. In particular, CTR under the wide-awake, local-anesthesia, no-tourniquet (WALANT) technique has emerged as a cost-effective, safe, and straightforward option for the millions who undergo this procedure worldwide. CTR under WALANT is associated with considerable cost savings and workflow efficiencies; it can be safely and effectively executed in an outpatient clinic under field sterility with less use of resources and production of waste, and it has consistently demonstrated standard or better post-operative pain control and satisfaction among patients. In this review of the literature, we describe the current findings on CTR using the WALANT technique.