9 0 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • N O V E M B E R 2 0 1 8
J
ust a short note to catch
you up on the latest
developments in regional
anesthesia. Good news first.
1. Motor-sparing blocking.
It's called an IPACK block,
short for interspace between
the popliteal artery and capsule
of the posterior knee block.
Anesthesiologist David Kim,
MD, of the Hospital for Special
Surgery in New York City,
recently studied whether com-
bining a periarticular injection
with an IPACK block and an
adductor canal block would
lower pain during ambulation
on post-op day 1 more than just the periarticular injection alone.
The trial included 86 patients undergoing unilateral total knee
arthroplasty, 43 of whom just received a periarticular injection and 43
of whom received the injection plus the 2 blocks. Not only did those
who received the injection with the blocks report significantly lower
pain scores than those who only received the periarticular injection,
but also they were more satisfied with their care and needed fewer
opioids.
What's New in Regional Anesthesia
A quick update on a few exciting developments — and
news of a couple setbacks.
Jared Bilski | Senior Associate Editor
• GETTING CLOSER Advancements in ultrasound mean peripheral nerve blocks can be done fur-
ther from the spinal cord and closer to where the surgery is being performed.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR