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Comparison of 2 Anesthetic Techniques in Onychocryptosis Surgery of the Great Toe: A Randomized Clinical Trial
S Sánchez Hernández1, E Giralt de Veciana2
1Institut Clínic de Especialidades Médicas y Quirúrgicas (ICEMEQ), Hospital Clínic Barcelona, Barcelona, España.
Background And Objective:
Surgery for an ingrown toenail of the great toe is a common procedure that requires an anesthetic neuromuscular blockade of the entire digit. Various digital block techniques have been described, but no evidence-based recommendations on the best choice have emerged. We aimed to compare the V block to the H block in this type of surgery.
Material And Methods:
Multicenter randomized clinical trial in patients undergoing onychocryptosis surgery between February 2018 and February 2020. We recorded sex, age, foot intervened, type of blockade used (H block or V block), efficacy 10 and 20minutes after injection of the anesthetic, and number of attempts.
Results:
A total of 140 surgeries to treat ingrown toenails were assigned to 2 groups (H block or V block) of 70 patients each. The same anesthetic, dose, and volume were used in all cases. The V technique produced a better neuromuscular block in 7.2% more cases at 10minutes and in 12.8% more at 20minutes.
Conclusions:
Both block techniques are safe and effective. The V block is a good alternative to the H block in patients undergoing surgery to treat an ingrown toenail.
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