EXPERTS’ OPINION   Free access

Minerva Anestesiologica 2019 December;85(12):1357-64

DOI: 10.23736/S0375-9393.19.13581-X

Copyright © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

language: English

Catheter use in regional anesthesia: pros and cons

Xavier CAPDEVILA ¹, Gabriella IOHOM ², Olivier CHOQUET ¹, Paudie DELANEY ², Alparslan APAN ³ ✉

¹ Department of Anesthesia and Critical Care, Lapeyronie University Hospital, Montpellier, France; ² Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Cork University Hospital, Cork, Ireland; ³ Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine, Giresun University Hospital, Giresun, Turkey

Continuous peripheral nerve blocks refer to a local anesthetic solution administered via perineurally placed catheters in an effort to extend the benefits of a single-shot peripheral nerve block. They offer several advantages in the postoperative period including excellent analgesia, reduced opioid consumption and associated side effects, enhanced rehabilitation and improved patient satisfaction. The current trend towards less invasive, one-day surgery and enhanced recovery programs may decrease the requirement of catheter use. Prolonged motor block in particular is associated with undesirable outcomes. Should we routinely use continuous peripheral nerve blocks in our daily practice? This PRO-CON debate aims at answering the question from the experts’ perspectives. Fascial compartment and wound catheters are outside the scope of this debate.

KEY WORDS: Peripheral nerves; Catheters; Complications