INTRAOSSEOUS REGIONAL ANESTHESIA AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO INTRAVENOUS REGIONAL ANESTHESIA

A series of 109 orthopedic operations was performed under intraosseous regional anesthesia on the upper and lower limbs. Anesthesia was sati sfactory in 106 of the cases; in the other three, inadequate anesthesi a was caused by faulty technique. The spread of lidocaine into the bon e and venous network was demonstrated by radiography, and the blood le vels after tourniquet release were below the toxic level. Intraosseous regional anesthesia proved to be a valuable technique to be used when ever intravenous anesthesia fails or is not feasible. Injection into c ancellous bone (osteoclysis) is easily and quickly performed under ase ptic conditions, and there were no systemic complications.