Is Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet Technique in Distal Radius Plating Surgery a Comfortable Procedure? A Prospective Case-Control Study

Abstract

Background: Wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) is a promising technique for bony procedure in recent years. During distal radius surgery via WALANT technique, surgeons may concern about intraoperative pain. This prospective case-control study was aimed to compare the intraoperative hemodynamic changes between WALANT technique and general anesthesia (GA) in patients undergoing distal radius plating surgery.Methods: We recruited 40 adults with distal radius fracture underwent plating using the WALANT technique (group A) or general anesthesia (group B). Each group comprised 20 patients with similar demographics. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate were recorded in both groups. Intraoperative pain intensity was measured by numeric rating scale (NRS) for pain in group A.Results: The NRS decreased significantly compared with preoperative status in group A for most of the intraoperative period. The intraoperative MAP in group A showed no significant change among each peri-operatively period. In addition, group A showed less peri-operative MAP fluctuation than group B (p< 0.05). The intraoperative changes in HR showed significant changes between group A and B during reduction, plating and skin closure. The reduction and plating quality were similar between each group.Conclusions: Patients undergoing distal radius plating surgery via WALANT technique has a lower MAP changes. Distal radius plating surgery using the WALANT technique is a well-tolerated surgical procedure and showing the similar reduction and plating quality to through GA.

Distal radius fractures: current concepts

“…90 However, recent literature has demonstrated WALANT to be tolerable during fixation of DRFs without a tourniquet, with a faster recovery period and similar functional outcomes to general anaesthesia, and it is more cost-effective. 91,92…”