UPDATE IN ANESTHESIA OF JOINT ARTHROPLASTY

Abstract

Ultrasound Guided has had a profound effect on regional anesthesiology and acute pain medicine. Despite the heterogeneity in the design of multiple RCTs, USG has consistently provided improved outcomes regarding block procedure time, block onset time, and (depending on the varying definitions) increased block success for single-injection and CPNBs. More recent data support a role for preprocedural USG in patients with predictors of technically difficult spinal anesthesia. Although the evidence for decreasing the risk of peripheral injury is currently lacking, accumulating evidence confirms that USG decreases but (just as important) does not eliminate the risk of LAST. Finally, the focus of research has appropriately changed to investigating the optimal USG techniques for specific nerve blocks and emerging data should further expand the applications and benefits of regional anesthesia.