The Effect of Anticoagulant and Antiplatelet Medications on Wide-Awake Hand Surgery: An Analysis of 2,162 Cases.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to determine if perioperative prescription anticoagulant (AC) or antiplatelet (AP) medication use increases the rate of revision surgeries or complications following wide-awake hand surgery performed under local anesthesia. METHODS: All patients who underwent outpatient wide-awake hand surgery under local anesthesia without a tourniquet by two fellowship-trained orthopedic hand surgeons at a single academic practice over a 3-year period were included. Prescription history was reviewed to determine if any prescriptions were filled for an AC/AP drug within 90 days of surgery. All cases requiring revision were identified. Office notes were reviewed to determine postoperative complications and/or postoperative antibiotics prescribed for infection concerns. The number of revisions, complications, and postoperative antibiotic prescriptions were compared between patients who did, and did not, use perioperative AC/AP drugs. RESULTS: A total of 2,162 wide-awake local anesthesia surgeries were included, and there were 128 cases (5.9%) with perioperative AC/AP use. Of the 2,162 cases, 19 cases required revision surgery (18 without AC/AP use and one with AC/AP use). Postoperative wound complications occurred in 42 patients (38 without AC/AP use and four with AC/AP use). Of the wound complications, four were related to postoperative bleeding, one case of incisional bleeding, and three cases of incisional hematomas (three without AC/AP use and one with AC/AP use). None of these patients required additional intervention; their incisional bleeding or hematoma was resolved by their subsequent office visit. Sixty-five patients received postoperative antibiotics for infection concerns (59 without AC/AP use and six with AC/AP use). CONCLUSIONS: Prescription AC/AP medication use in the perioperative period for wide-awake hand surgery performed under local anesthesia was not associated with an increased risk for revision surgery or postoperative wound complications. This study demonstrates the safety of continuing patients' prescribed AC/AP medications during wide-awake hand surgery. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Prognosis IV.

Outcomes of Wide-Awake Flexor Tendon Repairs in 58 Fingers and 9 Thumbs.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to present the outcomes of wide-awake flexor tendon repairs in zones 1 and 2 in a major hand trauma referral center. METHODS: Zone 1 and zone 2 wide-awake flexor tendon repairs performed between August 2018 and March 2020 were analyzed retrospectively. Outcomes were assessed by the original Strickland-Glogovac criteria for fingers and Buck-Gramcko scoring system for thumbs. Further descriptive analysis of the groups according to potential negative factors, such as injury mechanism, concomitant neurovascular injury, and the extent of injury in zone 2, were performed. RESULTS: A total of 94 tendons were repaired in 67 digits (58 fingers, 9 thumbs) of the 61 patients included in the study. Satisfactory results were achieved in 89.6% of the fingers and 77.8% of the thumbs. Intraoperative gapping was corrected after active digital extension-flexion test in 1 patient. Rupture was seen in 1 patient for a rate of 1.5%. The tenolysis indication rate was 5.1% for fingers and 11.1% for thumbs. CONCLUSIONS: In our series, functional outcome scores, tenolysis, and rupture rates remained similar with findings in the literature. The outcome of a flexor tendon repair is influenced by many factors that cannot be controlled intraoperatively. To assess the effect of performing the repair in a wide-awake setting on the outcome, clinical trials with large patient groups are needed. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Therapeutic IV.

Cost Savings and Patient Experiences of a Clinic-Based, Wide-Awake Hand Surgery Program at a Military Medical Center: A Critical Analysis of the First 100 Procedures.

PURPOSE: Wide-awake, local anesthesia, no tourniquet (WALANT) hand surgery was developed to improve access to hand surgery care while optimizing medical resources. Hand surgery in the clinic setting may result in substantial cost savings for the United States Military Health Care System (MHS) and provide a safe alternative to performing similar procedures in the operating room. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was performed on the first 100 consecutive clinic-based WALANT hand surgery procedures performed at a military medical center from January 2014 to September 2015 by a single hand surgeon. Cost savings analysis was performed by using the Medical Expense and Performance Reporting System, the standard cost accounting system for the MHS, to compare procedures performed in the clinic versus the operating room during the study period. A study specific questionnaire was obtained for 66 procedures to evaluate the patient's experience. RESULTS: For carpal tunnel release (n = 34) and A1 pulley release (n = 33), there were 85% and 70% cost savings by having the procedures performed in clinic under WALANT compared with the main operating room, respectively. During the study period, carpal tunnel release, A1 pulley release, and de Quervain release performed in the clinic instead of the operating room amounted to $393,100 in cost savings for the MHS. There were no adverse events during the WALANT procedure. CONCLUSIONS: A clinic-based WALANT hand surgery program at a military medical center results in considerable cost savings for the MHS. TYPE OF STUDY/LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Economic/Decision Analysis IV.

The Influence of Mental Health Diagnoses on Patient Experiences and Outcomes in Patients Undergoing WALANT Hand Surgery.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to gauge whether patients with preexisting mental health conditions have desirable outcomes when undergoing wide-awake local anesthesia with no tourniquet (WALANT) hand surgery. Methods: A retrospective review of 133 patients who underwent WALANT surgery by 2 senior authors from August 2019 to October 2020 was performed. Patients were administered a 10-question postoperative survey detailing perioperative pain, experience, and satisfaction concerning their procedure. Analysis was performed for patient responses to the questionnaire, demographics, comorbidities, and patient-reported outcomes using the Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE). Results: There were 61 patients identified as having a preexisting psychiatric diagnosis compared to 70 patients without who underwent WALANT surgery. Comparing psychiatric diagnosis and nonpsychiatric diagnosis cohorts, there was no significant difference in preoperative anxiety (3.75 vs 3.30), pain during procedure (0.67 vs 0.56), or pain after surgery (4.89 vs 4.26). There was a significantly higher pain score with preoperative injection in the psychiatric diagnosis cohort (4.07 vs 2.93). When asked if they would have a WALANT procedure again, 95.1% of patients in the psychiatric diagnosis cohort and 98.6% of patients in the nonpsychiatric diagnosis group said they would. There was no significant difference in average preoperative SANE scores (59.67 [no psych diagnosis] vs 61.70 [psych diagnosis]) or postoperative SANE scores (82.82 [no psych diagnosis] vs 81.06 [psych diagnosis]) between the two cohorts. Conclusions: WALANT surgery was nearly as well tolerated in patients with a preexisting mental health diagnosis when compared to those without a preexisting diagnosis. Clinical Relevance: Surgeons who are currently or potentially performing WALANT surgery should not rule out patients as eligible candidates because of a prior diagnosis of a mental health condition.

Comparison of distal radius fracture plating surgery under wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet technique and balanced anesthesia: a retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Distal radius fractures (DRF) are frequently treated with internal fixation under general anesthesia or a brachial plexus block. Recently, the wide-awake local anesthesia with no tourniquet (WALANT) technique has been suggested as a method that results in higher patient satisfaction. This study aimed to evaluate the functional outcomes, complications, and patient-reported outcomes of DRF plating surgery under both the WALANT and balanced anesthesia (BA). METHODS: Ninety-three patients with DRFs who underwent open reduction and plating were included. Regarding the anesthetic technique, 38 patients received WALANT, while 55 received BA, comprised of multimodal pain control brachial plexus anesthesia with light general support. The patient's overall satisfaction in both groups and the intraoperative numerical rating scale of pain and anxiety (0-10) in the WALANT group were recorded. The peri-operative radiographic parameters were measured; the clinical outcomes, including Quick Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (QuickDASH) score, wrist mobility, and grip strength, were recorded in up to 1-year follow-up. Results presented with a mean difference and 95% confidence intervals and mean ± standard deviation. RESULTS: The mean age of patients in the WALANT group was higher than in the BA group (63 ± 17 vs. 54 ± 17, P = 0.005), and there were fewer intra-articular DRF fractures in the WALANT group than in the BA group (AO type A/B/C: 30/3/5 vs. 26/10/19, P = 0.009). The reduction and plating quality were similar in both groups. The clinical outcomes at follow-up were comparable between the two groups, except the WALANT group had worse postoperative 3-month pronation (88% vs. 96%; - 8.0% [ - 15.7 to - 0.2%]) and 6-month pronation (92% vs. 100%; - 9.1% [ - 17.0 to - 1.2%]), and better postoperative 1-year flexion (94% vs. 82%; 12.0% [2.0-22.1%]). The overall satisfaction was comparable in the WALANT and BA groups (8.7 vs. 8.5; 0.2 [ - 0.8 to 1.2]). Patients in the WALANT group reported an injection pain scale of 1.7 ± 2.0, an intraoperative pain scale of 1.2 ± 1.9, and an intraoperative anxiety scale of 2.3 ± 2.8. CONCLUSION: The reduction quality, functional outcomes, and overall satisfaction were comparable between the WALANT and BA groups. With meticulous preoperative planning, the WALANT technique could be an alternative for DRF plating surgery in selected patients. Trial registration This retrospective study was approved by the Institutional Review Board of Kaohsiung Medical University Hospital (KMUHIRB-E(I)-20210201).

Greening Hand Surgery: Targeted Measures to Reduce Waste in Ambulatory Trigger Finger and Carpal Tunnel Decompression.

BACKGROUND: Operating rooms (ORs) produce approximately 70% of hospital waste. Greening strategies in the OR aim to reduce the environmental impact of surgery while maintaining patient safety and outcomes. The aim of this study was to strategically reduce waste and cost associated with common ambulatory hand procedures by implementing a 3-stage "green case" plan over a 1-year period in a high-volume tertiary referral hand surgery division. METHODS: A 3-stage greening initiative for hand surgery was designed and implemented in ambulatory open carpal tunnel release (CTR) and trigger finger release (TFR) cases, including: (1) introduction of minor field sterility; (2) implementation of a lean and green minor hand surgery pack and reduced instrument set; and (3) elimination of gown use by surgeons and OR staff. Surgical supply usage and costs were tracked during the study period and compared with control. RESULTS: Each "green case" resulted in savings of $105 compared with the control cases from the preceding year, excluding cost savings associated with reduced waste processing. There was a 64% and 75% reduction in waste and costs after greening, respectively. This equates to a minimum institutional annual savings of $51 000 when used for CTR and TFR. There was no observed increase in surgical site infections or complications after the introduction of greening. CONCLUSION: Greening initiatives can be successfully implemented by surgeons to reduce waste and costs. With targeted greening of CTR and TFR procedures, we significantly reduced waste and decreased costs while maintaining patient safety and outcomes.

Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet Technique in Hand Surgery: The Patient Experience.

BACKGROUND: We attempted to evaluate patient satisfaction and overall experience during wide awake, local anesthesia, with no tourniquet (WALANT) hand surgery and quantify surgery-related outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective analysis of patient demographics, comorbidities, and patient reported outcomes via Single Assessment Numeric Evaluation (SANE) scores collected pre- and postoperatively of patients undergoing WALANT surgery by the 2 participating senior authors. A solution of 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine was used by 1 surgeon, while the other used a 1:1 ratio of 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine and 0.5% bupivacaine for local anesthetic injection. Patients were administered a postoperative survey to assess patient experience, including anxiety and pain levels, and overall satisfaction in the perioperative period. RESULTS: Overall, 97.7% of patients indicated that they would undergo a WALANT-style surgery if indicated in the future, 70.5% ate the day of surgery, and a total of 39.1% of patients reported driving to and from surgery. Postoperative SANE scores increased as compared with preoperative scores across all patients. The use of combination 1% lidocaine with 1:100,000 epinephrine and 0.5% bupivacaine was associated with lower intraoperative and postoperative visual analog scale pain scores. CONCLUSIONS: WALANT hand surgery was generally well tolerated with excellent surgical outcomes. Patients reported ease of preparation for surgery, faster recovery, and lack of anesthetic side effects as the main benefits of wide-awake surgery. Combination use of lidocaine and bupivacaine may be better than lidocaine alone with respect to pain control in the initial recovery period.

Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT) for Flexor Tendon Repairs as Change in Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Cohort Study With Outcomes.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic forced many changes. In our unit, there was a significant shift from traditional anesthesia (TA) which included general or regional anesthesia, to Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT) for the treatment of flexor tendon injuries. Zones I and II injuries have always been a challenge. The primary aim of this study is to compare the 12-week range of motion (ROM) flexor tendon repair outcomes between the TA group and wide-awake (WA) group patients. The secondary aim is to compare the complications and the follow-up rate between the two groups. METHODS: All patients who underwent a primary finger flexor tendon repair in zone I or II without tendon graft for closed avulsions or open lacerations between April 2020 and March 2021 were included in the study. Electronic medical records were reviewed to record demographics, follow-up, ROM outcomes and complications. RESULTS: Forty-four patients with 49 injured fingers were in the WA group, and 24 patients with 37 injured fingers were in the TA group. A complete follow-up with 12-week ROM outcomes was available for 15 patients with 16 injured fingers in the WA group and nine patients with 13 injured fingers in the TA group. Excellent to good outcomes in the WA group were reported in 56% of the cases versus 31% in the TA group, although the difference was not statistically significant. There were similar complications in both groups, with an overall rupture rate of 11.6%, a tenolysis rate of 3.5% and a reoperation rate of 9.3%. Complete 12-week follow-up was completed by 41% of patients overall after taking tendon ruptures into account. CONCLUSIONS: This is one of the first studies comparing zones I and II flexor tendon ROM outcomes between WA anesthesia and TA. Overall, there was a trend toward superior ROM outcomes in the WA group, with similar complication rates in both groups. The difference between ROM outcomes was not statistically significant and the small sample size undermined the strength of the study. To provide stronger evidence, better-designed prospective studies are suggested that would compare WA techniques with TA techniques.

How to Start WALANT Practice in South Africa: "Service With a Smile if You Are Willing to Wait Awhile."

Wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) hand surgery at 1 Military Hospital in South Africa resulted in a positive patient experience and beneficial financial outcomes in an economically constrained environment. Using the WALANT technique also effectively reduced the waiting time for elective surgery, which is considered to be synonymous with improvement in the public health sector in South Africa. Elderly patients and those medically unfit for general anesthesia successfully underwent WALANT surgery and returned to daily activities. Additionally, the South African WALANT surgery initiative established a successful outreach program with Operation Healing Hands. Continuation of WALANT procedures during the pandemic in a "do not touch" environment had a low probability for disease transmission and was advantageous in reducing the elective surgery workload. In the beginning, WALANT's initiation at the institution was brutal. Eventually, the critics shifted to value the inexpensive, effective service delivery of the WALANT method. Flexibility, open mindedness, and resilience are necessary to implement wide-awake surgery initiatives successfully.

Pulley Reconstruction Following Surgical Release of DC1 Pulley in De Quervain's Tenosynovitis: Surgical Technique and Case Series.

De Quervain's disease (DQD) is tenosynovitis of the first dorsal compartment (DC1) of the wrist between the osteofibrous tunnel and the tendons involving the APL and EPB sheaths at the radial styloid. Surgical intervention is indicated when pain does not resolve despite 3 to 6 months of conservative management. Release of the first dorsal compartment is an effective treatment of DQD. In addition to surgical release, we performed pulley reconstruction using a new technique in the present series of 20 patients which has not been previously described with a followup of over 1 year. All patients showed a consistent improvement in VAS score at over one year followup with resolution of Finkelstein, Eichoff and WHAT test. Only one temporary neuropraxia was encountered due to stretching/scar entrapment of superficial branch of radial nerve. Our innovative technique of pulley reconstruction is not only easy to understand and perform but has shown consistent result in the 20 cases operated with this technique with a follow up of at least 1 year. The technique has the distinct advantage of having a quick learning curve and gives reliable, lasting results without complications or recurrence.

Economic and Environmental Impacts of the Wide-Awake, Local Anesthesia, No Tourniquet (WALANT) Technique in Hand Surgery: A Review of the Literature.

The United States spends more on health care than any other country in the world based on the percentage of gross domestic product. This fact is coupled with health care facilities contributing nearly one-tenth of all greenhouse gas emissions in the United States, and with the health care industry's waste contributions to landfills being second only to those of the food industry. In some instances, operating rooms produce the majority of total landfill waste from hospitals; therefore, patients undergoing surgical procedures can have both financial and environmental impacts. Recently, the wide-awake, local anesthesia, no tourniquet technique in hand surgery has grown in popularity. This technique has reportedly allowed surgeons to decrease operating room costs, time, and waste, but without compromising patient safety or outcomes. This comprehensive literature review summarizes the current literature related to the economic and environmental impacts of the wide-awake, local anesthesia, no tourniquet technique in hand surgery.

The Impact of Intraoperative Nursing Care on Perioperative Complications During Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia Hand Surgery.

Purpose: The wide-awake local anesthesia technique in hand surgery is widely used, but there are currently no guidelines or protocols for the number of operating room personnel required to optimize patient safety intraoperatively. This study aimed to evaluate perioperative complication rates of wide-awake local anesthesia hand surgeries performed at surgery centers that used different numbers of operating room nurses. Methods: We conducted a retrospective review of patients who underwent wide-awake local anesthesia hand surgery at 4 surgical centers over a 30-month consecutive period. Two surgical centers used 3 operating room nurses, and 2 centers used 2 operating room nurses. The complications reported included intraoperative case abortion because of critical change in patient vitals, intraoperative medication delivery, intraoperative intravenous placement for medication delivery, intraoperative conversion to sedation, intraoperative medical complications, and postoperative transfer to the emergency department or a hospital. Results: A total of 1,771 wide-awake local anesthesia surgical procedures were identified, with 925 performed at a facility that used 2 operating room nurses and 846 performed at a facility that used 3 operating room nurses. There were no perioperative complications in either group during the study period. Conclusions: There was no difference in perioperative complications between the surgery centers that used 3 versus 2 intraoperative nurses during wide-awake local anesthesia hand surgery. This study supports that limiting the nursing personnel for wide-awake local anesthesia hand surgeries could be an efficient way to cut procedural costs without compromising patient safety. Type of study/level of evidence: Therapeutic IV.

Effective Things Surgeons Can Tell Patients During Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet Surgery to Decrease Complications and Improve Outcomes.

Surgeons are familiar with surgical technique articles that provide step-by-step details of various surgical procedures relevant to clinical practice. This article is a communications technique article that provides step-by-step things that a surgeon can say to a wide-awake patient during the surgery to improve outcomes in clinical practice. The absence of anamnestic sedation enables memorable patient education from their surgeon to decrease the risk of postoperative complications.

Less Fluctuation in Hemodynamics of the Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet Technique Than General Anesthesia in Distal Radius Plating Surgery: A Prospective Case-Control Study.

This prospective case-control study aimed to compare the intraoperative hemodynamic changes between the wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) technique and general anesthesia (GA) in patients undergoing distal radius plating surgery. Forty adults with distal radius fractures underwent plating surgery via the WALANT technique (20 patients) or GA (20 patients). Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate were recorded. Intraoperative pain intensity was measured using the visual analog scale (VAS) for pain in the WALANT group. The measures of hemodynamics and VAS were recorded at seven-time points perioperatively. The VAS score decreased significantly compared with the preoperative status in the WALANT group for most of the intraoperative period except during injections of local anesthetics and fracture reduction. The intraoperative MAP in the WALANT group showed no significant change during the perioperative period. In addition, the WALANT group showed fewer perioperative MAP fluctuations than the GA group (p < 0.05). The reduction and plating quality were similar between the two groups. WALANT provided a feasible technique with less fluctuation in hemodynamic status. With gentle manipulation of the fracture reduction, distal radius plating surgery using the WALANT technique is a well-tolerated surgical procedure and shows similar reduction and plating quality to GA.

Intraoperative Active Motion Confirmation During Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet Surgery.

As a recent advance in the field of hand surgery, the wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet surgical technique-performed using an epinephrine-containing local anesthetic without a tourniquet while the patient is awake-has attracted attention. The wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet technique has been indicated for surgeries such as trigger release, soft tissue tumor excision, surgery for Dupuytren contracture, thumb carpometacarpal arthroplasty, or any other tendon, nerve, or ligament surgeries, requiring intraoperative active motion confirmation. Herein, the surgical procedures performed with the wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet technique have been described; moreover, the indications and precautions of this technique have been reconsidered.

Wide-Awake Tenolysis of a Pectoralis Major to Biceps Transfer After Near Total Arm Avulsion Amputation.

Wide-awake surgery is transforming many areas of hand surgery. We report a distinctive case of an avulsion near total amputation of the right dominant arm, which required emergent shaft humerus fracture fixation and brachial artery repair with a vein graft. Three months post-injury, the patient underwent long segment nerve grafts of the median and ulnar nerves, with pectoralis major to biceps transfer for elbow flexion reconstruction. Since the patient failed to gain any functional movement of the elbow, we explored the transfer under wide-awake local anaesthesia using lignocaine and adrenaline. Four months after the wide-awake release, the patient had gained 70 degrees elbow flexion against gravity and 110 degrees with gravity eliminated. On the Waikakul scale, the result was categorized as 'Good'. Wide-awake anaesthesia allowed sufficient release of a large muscle transfer in a prior traumatised zone with a satisfactory result.

Retrospective evaluation of WALANT in emergency hand surgery in the Bordeaux university hospital.

The Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT) technique uses local anesthesia based on lidocaine and adrenaline, enabling surgery without the tourniquet normally used in hand surgery. Only a few studies have been conducted on the use of WALANT for emergency hand surgery in teaching hospitals. We therefore set up the WALANT procedure in our emergency department in the university hospital of Bordeaux, France, to evaluate its feasibility and the satisfaction of patients and operators. Between April and June 2020, we included 58 patients undergoing surgery for acute trauma of the hand/wrist. WALANT was performed following a specific protocol. A tourniquet was systematically available on standby. After the procedure, patients and operators were asked to complete a questionnaire. Patients rated pain on a 0-10 numerical analog scale. Surgeons reported their feelings about bleeding and patient cooperation. All patients underwent a nearly painless operation, with a mean pain score of 0.36/10. The mean pain score during injection was 2.57, and postoperatively 5.2. Bleeding complications were reported to be absent or slight by 43% of operators, moderate but acceptable by 47%, and significant by 10%. Bipolar forceps were used in 76% of cases. No digital necrosis or prolonged ischemia requiring the use of phentolamine was reported. WALANT offers a simple, safe, and effective alternative to traditional anesthesia techniques in an emergency setting. Patients and surgeons reported overall satisfaction, with no increase in the complications rate.

WALANT: A Discussion of Indications, Impact, and Educational Requirements.

Wide-awake, local anesthesia, no tourniquet (WALANT) is a technique that removes the requirement for operations to be performed with a tourniquet, general/regional anesthesia, sedation or an anesthetist. We reviewed the WALANT literature with respect to the diverse indications and impact of WALANT to discuss the importance of future surgical curriculum integration. With appropriate patient selection, WALANT may be used effectively in upper and lower limb surgery; it is also a useful option for patients who are unsuitable for general/regional anesthesia. There is a growing body of evidence supporting the use of WALANT in more complex operations in both upper and lower limb surgery. WALANT is a safe, effective, and simple technique associated with equivalent or superior patient pain scores among other numerous clinical and cost benefits. Cost benefits derive from reduced requirements for theater/anesthetic personnel, space, equipment, time, and inpatient stay. The lack of a requirement for general anesthesia reduces aerosol generating procedures, for example, intubation/high-flow oxygen, hence patients and staff also benefit from the reduced potential for infection transmission. WALANT provides a relatively, but not entirely, bloodless surgical field. Training requirements include the surgical indications, volume calculations, infiltration technique, appropriate perioperative patient/team member communication, and specifics of each operation that need to be considered, for example, checking of active tendon glide versus venting of flexor tendon pulleys. WALANT offers significant clinical, economic, and operative safety advantages when compared with general/regional anesthesia. Key challenges include careful patient selection and the comprehensive training of future surgeons to perform the technique safely.

Noise-Canceling Headphones and Music Decrease Intraoperative Patient Anxiety During Wide-Awake Hand Surgery: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Purpose: Wide-awake local anesthesia no-tourniquet (WALANT) hand surgery has gained popularity because of its cost savings, safety, favorable outcomes, and high patient satisfaction. However, the wide-awake nature of the technique causes many patients to experience anxiety during the procedure. Nonorthopedic studies have reported the anxiolytic effects of intraprocedural music in a variety of wide-awake medical procedures. This prospective randomized controlled trial investigated the effects of wearing noise-canceling headphones and listening to music on patient anxiety during WALANT hand surgery. Methods: Institutional review board approval was obtained. Patients were randomized to one of the following groups: (1) a headphones group that wore noise-canceling headphones and listened to music (genre of their choice) during the surgery, or (2) a control group that neither wore noise-canceling headphones nor listened to music during surgery. Patient anxiety was assessed on a 10-point visual analog scale before, during, and after surgery. All patients completed an overall experience questionnaire after surgery. Results: Fifty patients were enrolled, with 25 in each group. Both the groups were similar in terms of patient characteristics, diagnosed anxiety, and preoperative level of anxiety. The headphones group was found to have significantly less intraoperative anxiety (1.02 vs 2.32, respectively; P = .017) and a significantly greater net decrease in anxiety from the preoperative to intraoperative level (-1.78 vs -0.56, respectively; P = .033) than the control group. In the headphones group, 92% (23/25) of patients stated that they would recommend wearing noise-canceling headphones and listening to music to other WALANT hand surgery patients. All (50/50) patients in both groups reported that they would choose to undergo WALANT hand surgery again if needed for the same problem. Conclusions: The use of noise-canceling headphones with music during WALANT hand surgery significantly decreases intraoperative patient anxiety. This intervention represents an effective, safe, and inexpensive nonpharmacologic measure to improve patient anxiety and overall experience with WALANT hand surgery. Type of study/level of evidence: Therapeutic I.

Wide Awake Open Carpal Tunnel Release: The Effect of Local Anesthetics in the Postoperative Outcome.

Introduction Wide awake open carpal tunnel decompression is a procedure performed under local anesthesia. This study aimed to present the effect of various local anesthetics in peri and postoperative analgesia in patients undergoing this procedure. Materials and Methods A total of 140 patients, with 150 hands involved, underwent carpal tunnel release under local anesthesia. Patients were divided in five groups according to local anesthetic administered: lidocaine 2%, ropivacaine 0.75%, ropivacaine 0.375%, chirocaine 0.5%, and chirocaine 0.25%. Total 400 mg of gabapentin were administered to a subgroup of 10 cases from each group (50 cases totally), 12 hours before surgery. Patients were evaluated immediately, 2 weeks and 2 months after surgery according to VAS pain score, grip strength, and two-point discrimination. Results In all patients, pain and paresthesia improved significantly postoperatively, while the use of gabapentin did not affect outcomes. Grip strength recovered and exceeded the preoperative value 2 months after surgery, without any difference between the groups. No case of infection, hematoma, or revision surgery was reported. Conclusion Recovery after open carpal tunnel release appears to be irrelevant of the type of local anesthetic used during the procedure. Solutions of low local anesthetic concentration (lidocaine 2%, ropivacaine 0.375%, and chirocaine 0.25%) provide adequate intraoperative analgesia without affecting the postoperative course.