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

A new lateral approach to blocking the sciatic nerve in the popliteal fossa is described. In a prospective study, 40 patients scheduled for foot surgery involving osteotomies were allocated randomly into one of two groups following induction of general anaesthesia: group PS (n = 21) received a lateral popliteal sciatic nerve block and group SC (n = 19) received subcutaneous infiltration of the wound. Both groups rece ived 20 ml bupi-vacaine 0.5% plain, The lateral approach to the poplit eal sciatic nerve was found to be an effective, quick, and easy to per form, block. postoperative analgesia in groups PS lasted a median of 1 8.0 hr and in group SC lasted 6.3 hr (P < 0.05). The lateral popliteal sciatic nerve block provided effective analgesia following foot surge ry and had a high level of patient satisfaction.