Pain Control and Satisfaction With Peripheral Nerve Blocks for Upper Extremity Surgery

Area of Science:

• Anesthesiology
• Pain Management
• Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

• Regional anesthesia, or nerve blocks, are crucial for managing upper extremity surgery pain.
• Patient experiences and satisfaction with perioperative opioid use in conjunction with these blocks are not well understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess patient-reported pain control and satisfaction with upper extremity blocks.
• To evaluate the impact of perioperative opioid consumption on these outcomes before the block's effects subsided.

Main Methods:

• A postoperative phone survey was conducted with outpatient upper extremity surgery patients.
• Data collected included pain scores, satisfaction with block duration, return of function, and opioid consumption.
• Statistical analyses included Mann-Whitney U tests, Fisher exact tests, and regression models.

Main Results:

• Of 509 surveyed patients, 88% were satisfied with block duration.
• Patients using opioids before the block wore off had significantly higher initial and final pain scores.
• Multivariable analysis revealed that opioid premedication was associated with a 78% increased odds of reporting highest satisfaction with block duration.

Conclusions:

• Upper extremity blocks generally lead to high patient satisfaction and effective postsurgical pain control.
• Premedicating with opioids before the block wears off may enhance patient satisfaction with the block's duration, independent of pain level.