NCT01568476

Does Interneural Local Anesthetic Spread at the Site of Sciatic Nerve Bifurcation Shorten Block Onset Time?

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 88 (actual)
• Sponsor: University Health Network, Toronto · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years – 85 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

Following foot and ankle surgery, ultrasound-guided sciatic nerve block (SNB) at the popliteal fossa decreases post-operative pain and opioid consumption. At the popliteal fossa, the sciatic nerve bifurcates to form the Common Peroneal Nerve (CPN) and Tibial Nerve (TN). Studies have shown that when both branches are blocked separately distal to the bifurcation site, block onset time is reduced by 30%. Through clinical observation, the investigators found that onset time is further shortened when ultrasound-guided SNB is performed at the site of bifurcation. This is because the local anesthetic spreads interneurally. The purpose of this study is to compare the block onset time of an ultrasound-guided sciatic nerve block at the site of nerve bifurcation with the blockade of each terminal nerve separately (TN and CPN) distal to sciatic nerve bifurcation.

Conditions

• Post Operative Analgesia
• Regional Anesthesia
• Sciatic Nerve Block

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	Distal	Blockade of both terminal branches of Sciatic nerve separately, distal to bifurcation
PROCEDURE	Interneural	Sciatic nerve blockade at the site of bifurcation

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-07-01
• Primary completion: 2013-06-01
• Completion: 2013-06-01
• First posted: 2012-04-02
• Last updated: 2017-12-05

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Canada