We present a case of an open surgical repair of an infraumbilical hernia, which was performed on a 45-year-old man categorised as American Society of Anesthesiologists class 4; he weighed 107 kg, and had a body mass index of 34.2 kg/m2 and nonischaemic cardiomyopathy (left ventricular ejection fraction of 20%). Due to the patient's significant perioperative risks, the surgery was performed with the patient under ultrasonography-guided bilateral rectus sheath blocks; 15 mL of 1% lignocaine and 10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine were deposited in the space between the rectus abdominis and posterior rectus sheath. The patient tolerated the surgery with minimal further sedation and additional analgesia. Rectus sheath block is a useful regional technique for periumbilical surgery, allowing surgery in highrisk patients while avoiding general anaesthesia and central neuraxial blockade. The use of real-time ultrasonographic guidance may reduce risks of peritoneal puncture, bleeding and visceral injury, while potentially increasing the rate of success.
Analgesia ; Anesthesia ; Anesthesiology ; Body Mass Index ; Bupivacaine ; chemistry ; Cardiomyopathies ; Hemodynamics ; Hernia, Umbilical ; surgery ; Herniorrhaphy ; methods ; Humans ; Lidocaine ; chemistry ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Nerve Block ; methods ; Rectus Abdominis ; pathology ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography

INTRODUCTION: Adductor canal block (ACB) is hypothesised to provide superior analgesia to femoral nerve block (FNB) for total knee arthroplasty (TKA) while preserving quadriceps strength. METHODS: 30 patients undergoing TKA were randomised to receive either ACB or FNB. Baseline tests of quadriceps strength were performed. Ultrasound-guided blocks with 30 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine were administered before induction of general anaesthesia. Patient-controlled analgesia (morphine) was prescribed for postoperative analgesia. The primary outcome of this prospective, double-blinded, randomised controlled trial was morphine consumption (mean ± standard deviation) in the first 24 hours. Secondary outcomes were pain scores using a numeric rating scale (median and interquartile range [IQR]), quadriceps strength (% of baseline) and functional outcomes at 24 hours and 48 hours postoperatively. RESULTS: There was no statistically significant difference in morphine consumption at 24 hours between the ACB and FNB groups (21 ± 11 mg vs. 20 ± 12 mg; p = 0.85). No statistically significant differences were observed between the ACB and FNB groups in pain scores at 24 hours (at rest: 0 [IQR 0-2] vs. 0 [IQR 0-2]; on movement: 5 [IQR 4-8] vs. 5 [IQR 3-8]) and quadriceps strength (24 hours: 28.8% ± 26.1% vs. 26.8% ± 19.6% of baseline; 48 hours: 31.5 ± 23.1% vs. 33.7% ± 20.1% of baseline). There were also no statistically significant differences in functional outcomes and length of stay. CONCLUSION We found no statistically significant differences in analgesic effects, quadriceps strength or functional recovery postoperatively between ACB and FNB.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Analgesia, Patient-Controlled ; methods ; Analgesics, Opioid ; therapeutic use ; Anesthetics, Local ; administration & dosage ; Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee ; Double-Blind Method ; Female ; Femoral Nerve ; Humans ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Morphine ; therapeutic use ; Nerve Block ; methods ; Pain Management ; methods ; Pain Measurement ; Pain, Postoperative ; drug therapy ; Prospective Studies ; Quadriceps Muscle ; drug effects ; Treatment Outcome ; Ultrasonography