Riassunto dello studio

80 patients undergoing ambulatory arthroscopic knee surgeries were randomized to receive either unilateral spinal anesthesia (USA; n=40) or ultrasound-guided combined sciatic and femoral nerve blocks (USFB; n=40). The primary outcome that was assessed was the time to readiness for discharge (TRD) which consisted of spontaneous micturition, ambulation, and VAS <3. Secondary outcomes of interest included pain on a Visual Analog Scale (VAS), requirement of rescue analgesia, patient satisfaction, operative time, hemodynamic outcomes, preparation time, and total intraoperative fluids. The mean TRD was significantly lower in the USFB group compared to the USA group. Total intraoperative time, VAS pain scores at 2, 4, 12, and 14 hours, and requirement of rescue analgesia at 6 & 12 hours were significantly better in the USFB group. Preparation time, surgical anesthesia time, and patient satisfaction (patients who would undergo the same anesthetic technique again) were significantly better in the USA group.