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Published on: November 10, 2023
[Regional anesthesia practice in Chile: an online survey]
M Corvetto1, M McCready, C Cook
1Departamento de Anestesiología, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile.
Revista Espanola De Anestesiologia Y Reanimacion
|May 27, 2010
Summary
Regional anesthesia is widely practiced in Chile, with neuraxial techniques like spinal and epidural blocks being most common. Further training is recommended to increase the use of peripheral nerve blocks, especially for lower limb procedures.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Regional Anesthesia
- Surgical Procedures
Context:
- Regional anesthesia practice in Chile was largely unknown.
- A survey was conducted among Chilean anesthesiologists to understand current practices and limitations.
- The Sociedad Chilena de Anestesiologia provided the respondent pool.
Purpose:
- To profile the current practice of regional anesthesia in Chile.
- To identify the types of regional anesthesia techniques most frequently used.
- To determine the limitations and barriers to the wider adoption of regional anesthesia.
Summary:
- A survey of 209 anesthesiologists revealed that 97% use regional anesthesia routinely, with 68% performing it in over 30% of cases.
- Neuraxial techniques (spinal, lumbar epidural, thoracic epidural) are most common, while peripheral nerve blocks are used by 73.7%, primarily for upper limbs.
- Lack of training was the main reason cited by 26.3% of respondents for not performing peripheral nerve blocks.
Impact:
- Highlights the high prevalence of regional anesthesia in Chile, particularly neuraxial techniques.
- Identifies a need for improved training to increase the utilization of peripheral nerve blocks.
- Provides data to inform educational strategies and promote broader application of regional anesthesia.
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