2016 OTA Annual Meeting: Single versus continuous nerve block for extremity fractures: a comparative study

90 patients scheduled for either distal radius fracture fixation (n=40) or ankle fracture fixation (n=50) were randomized to postoperative analgesia using either a continuous or single-shot nerve block. An infraclavicular block was used for distal radius procedures, and a popliteal-sciatic block was used for ankle procedures. Outcomes included pain scores and pain medication consumption at 8, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours postoperatively. Pain scores were reported to be lower for the continuous group compared to the single-shot group throughout follow-up, reaching statistical significance at 12 hours. Analgesic consumption was also significantly lower in the continuous group compared to the single-shot group at 24 hours postoperatively.