Spinal anesthesia improves the early recovery profile of patients undergoing ambulatory knee arthroscopy

Purpose: We compared the recovery profiles, postoperative complications, pe rioperative OR utilization times, and times to discharge of patients underg oing ambulatory knee arthroscopy under spinal anesthesia (SA) or general an esthesia (GA), Methods: In this randomized, prospective study, 84 ASA I-II patients were r andomized to receive either SA with 50 mg of 1% lidocaine, or a standardize d GA. Postoperative pain, nausea and vomiting, sedation, OR utilization, po stanesthesia care unit (PACU), and ambulatory surgical unit (ASU) recover), were compared. Results: Patients in the GA group had more pain in the PACU than the SA gro up (61% vs 15%, P <0.01), and a higher incidence of PACU analgesic use (59% vs 7.5%, P < 0.01). Patients in the SA group were able to drink and eat so oner than the GA group (83 +/- 23 vs 95 +/- 22 min, P < 0.05 and 88 +/- 27 vs 105 +/- 29 min, P (0.01, respectively). The times to sit, walk, and void were similar. The length of PACU and ASU stay between the GA and SA groups were similar (67 +/- 17 vs 60 +/- 19 min, P > 0.05 and 122 +/- 27 vs 127.9 +/- 31 min, P > 0.05, respectively). The incidence of backache was higher in the SA group (35 vs 13.6%, P < 0.05) than the GA group. However, the inc idence of sore throat was higher in the GA compared to the SA group (25% vs 2.5%, P < 0.01). Conclusions: SA with 50 mg of 1% lidocaine provides an improved recovery pr ofile for ambulatory knee arthroscopy. Discharge times were similar, and wi th the exception of backache and sore throat, the incidence of complication s was similar.