[Techniques to block the sciatic nerve by a lateral approach through the popliteal fossa]

Lateral approaches to the sciatic nerve through the popliteal fossa have recently been described as useful for providing adequate anesthesia and postoperative analgesia for foot and ankle surgery. Numerous publications have appeared on the approach in recent years, proposing new anatomical landmarks to facilitate location of the nerve, reduce the rate of complications, and increase the rate of success. When the lateral popliteal approach has been compared to other approaches to the sciatic nerve, similar success rates have been observed. However, when this technique is used certain factors must be borne in mind because they can influence both latency time and success. This review describes the lateral popliteal approach, its main variations, the factors that can affect latency time or success, and the possibility of providing continuous analgesia. We also sought to compare this approach to other techniques for blocking the sciatic nerve.