LATERAL POPLITEAL SCIATIC-NERVE BLOCK COMPARED WITH ANKLE BLOCK FOR ANALGESIA FOLLOWING FOOT SURGERY

The purpose of this study was to compare postoperative analgesia after foot surgery in patients anaesthetised either with popliteal sciatic nerve block or ankle block. In a prospective study, 40 patients schedu led for foot surgery involving osteotomies were allocated ramdomly int o one of two groups. Following induction of general anaesthesia, Group PS (n = 21) received a lateral popliteal sciatic nerve block and Grou p AB (n = 19) received an ankle block. Both groups received 20 ml bupi vacaine 0.5% plain. In group PS 43% required morphine analgesia in the Post Anaesthetic Recovery Room (PAR) compared with 16% in group AB. P ostoperative analgesia was assessed using VAS and a pain scale in the PAR and a questionnaire by telephone follow-up on the day after surger y. The ankle block appeared to be more reliable, providing more consis tent analgesia in the PAR. Postoperative analgesia in Group PS lasted a median of 18.0 hr and in Group AB lasted 11.5 hr (P < 0.05). Both te chniques provided effective analgesia after discharge home and high le vels of patient satisfaction.