Anestéziológia a intenzívna medicína 2/2022

Analysis of application of peripheral nerve blocks in the University Hospital of Bratislava Ruzinov in 2020

SKARA (Slovak association of regional anaesthesia) besides other projects brings to Slovakia novelty trends in regional anaesthesia. We have implemented one of these trends in our department. It is an ambition to abandon the old concept of regional anaesthesia “many blocks for few” and to join new trends with ambition of “few blocks for many” (3, 4, 5). It means to define a package of basic peripheral nerve blocks (PNB), with which we can cover most of the operations. The purpose of this study was to evaluate data gathered during the year 2020. We analysed the distribution of each type of PNB, and also the ratio between basic and advanced PNBs. There were 1998 PNBs applied in I. KAIM UNB Ruzinov during the year 2020. The most applied PNBs were popliteal block (n=372), femoral block (n=347) and suprainguinal fascia iliaca compartment block (n=331). The number of the PNBs with anaesthetic effect was 808, which makes 40% of all PNBs. We also investigated the ratio of effective and failed PNBs, and also the number and type of complications that occurred. Effectiveness of PNBs was 92%. There were 31 complications, which means the incidence of complications was 1.55%.

Keywords: peripheral nerve block, regional anesthesia, education