Ankle and hindfoot surgery is associated with severe post-operative pain, leading to a reliance on opiate analgesia and its side effects, longer hospital stays, and patient dissatisfaction. Popliteal sciatic nerve blockade has the potential to resolve these issues. We present our experience with using a continuous local anaesthetic nerve block delivered by an elastomeric pump in patients undergoing major foot and ankle surgery. All patients undergoing major ankle or hindfoot surgery during a one-year period under a single surgeon were eligible for a continuous popliteal block. An ultrasound-guided popliteal nerve catheter was inserted immediately before surgery and a bolus of bupivacaine infiltrated. Using a 250ml elastomeric pump, a continuous infusion was started immediately post operatively and terminated 48 hours later. Prospective data including post-operative analgesia, nausea and vomiting (PONV), length of stay (LOS), pain scores, and patient satisfaction were recorded daily for 48 hours post operatively.Purpose
Methods
Minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis (MIPO) is a relatively new surgical technique for the management of distal tibial fractures. Conventional open technique is unfavourable to the fracture biology because of excessive soft tissue stripping and can be associated with significant devastating complications. The aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of the MIPO technique for distal tibial fracturesIntroduction
Objective
