METHODS: Twenty-four participants were randomly assigned to the therapeutic group (n = 19) (1% lidocaine in 1:100,000 adrenaline) and control group (n = 5) (2% lidocaine alone). Clinical parameters, including skin necrosis, duration of recovery of sensation, and lidocaine toxicity, were monitored. The serum lidocaine level was measured at different time intervals using a high-performance liquid chromatography reagent.
RESULTS: No lidocaine toxicity was recorded in any participant. The therapeutic group had a longer time for recovery of sensation. There was a significant difference in the serum lidocaine levels between both the groups at all time intervals up to 6 hours, with all participants exhibiting serum lidocaine levels below the mild toxicity level of 6.0 μg/mL.
CONCLUSIONS: Lidocaine used within a safe recommended dose in wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet for distal radius plating is clinically and biochemically safe.
CLINICAL RELEVANCE: Determining the clinical and biochemical safety profile of lidocaine with adrenaline in wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet can promote wider use of this technique.
METHODS: Forty-eight patients with hand fractures were recruited over a period of 15 months. Twenty-one patients had undergone fracture fixation under GA, whereas another 27 patients had the surgery under WALANT. Parameters including vital signs (heart rate and systolic blood pressure), surgery duration, estimated blood loss, visual analog scale, and quick disabilities of the arm, shoulder, and hand (QuickDASH) questionnaire were evaluated.
RESULTS: Wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet group had significantly higher systolic blood pressure values and higher estimated blood less than GA group. Wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet group also documented shorter surgical time compared with GA group, but the difference was not significant. In terms of clinical outcomes, WALANT group recorded significantly lower visual analog scale score at 2 hours and 2 weeks postsurgery. However, WALANT has a comparable QuickDASH score with GA group except at 3 months postsurgery.
CONCLUSIONS: Wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet surgery for hand fracture fixation provides a similar analgesic effect and comparable QuickDASH score except at 3 months postsurgery compared with GA.
TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IIb.
METHODS: We conducted a randomized controlled study on patients with closed fracture of the distal end of the radius requiring open reduction and plating from January 2019 till April 2020. We recruited 65 patients (33 patients in the WALANT group and 32 patients in the GA group). Randomization was done via block randomization. Data were collected to evaluate preoperative anxiety using the Amsterdam Preoperative Anxiety and Information Scale (APAIS) score, intraoperative pain score during injection (baseline) (V1), 10 minutes after injection (V2), during incision (V3), during gentle manipulation (V4), during aggressive manipulation (V5) and during first drilling of screw (V6), blood loss, duration of surgery and post-operative pain score. Additionally, intraoperative visual analog scale (VAS) score was obtained in the WALANT group. At three weeks, six weeks, three months and six months after operation, the Quick Disabilities of Arm, Shoulder and Hand (QuickDASH) scores and range of motion (ROM) of the wrists were obtained.
RESULTS: The average age in the WALANT group was 47.19 (range, 36-64) years and GA group was 49.48 (range, 38-60) years. The mean APAIS score obtained was 7.78 (WALANT group) and 7.36 (GA group) with no statistical difference. For intraoperative VAS, only during V4 and V5 were the scores 1/10; otherwise at all other phases, the VAS score was 0. The average time for surgery was statistically longer in the WALANT group (61.22 minutes) compared to the GA group (55.33 minutes) (p = 0.003). There was no statistical difference in mean blood loss in both groups. The average post-operative VAS showed statistical significance only at 1 hour and 12 hours post-operation with no statistical difference at 2 and 24 hours post-operation. There was no difference in the post-operative ROM including wrist flexion, extension, supination and pronation for both groups up to six months' follow-up.
CONCLUSION: There was no statistically significant difference in terms of preoperative anxiety level, intraoperative and post-operative VAS score, amount of blood loss and clinical outcome in both groups for plating of the distal end radius. However, the operating time was slightly longer in the WALANT group. We conclude that distal radius plating under WALANT has similar outcomes to GA. In centres with limited resources, WALANT offers a safe, reliable and cheaper option, reserving GA time for head, abdominal and thoracic surgery.