Trends of Regional Anesthesia Studies in Emergency Medicine: An Observational Study of Published Articles

Abstract

Introduction: Regional anesthesia (RA) has become a prominent component of multimodal pain management in emergency medicine (EM), and its use has increased rapidly in recent decades. Nevertheless, there is a paucity of data on how RA practice has evolved in the specialty. In this study we sought to investigate how RA has been implemented in EM by analyzing trends of published articles and to describe the characteristics of the published research. Methods: We retrieved RA-related publications from the SciVerse Scopus database from inception to January 13, 2022, focusing on studies associated with the use of RA in EM. The primary outcome was an analysis of trend based on the number of annual publications. Other outcomes included reports of technique diversity by year, trends in the use of individual techniques, and characteristics of published articles. We used linear regression analysis to analyze trends. Results: In total, 133 eligible publications were included. We found that overall 23 techniques have been described and results published in the EM literature. Articles related to RA increased from one article in 1982 to 18 in 2021, and the rate of publication has increased more rapidly since 2016. Reports of lower extremity blocks (60.90%) were published most frequently in ranked-first aggregated citations. The use of thoracic nerve blocks, such as the erector spinae plane block, has increased exponentially in the past three years. The United States (41.35%) has published the most RA-related articles. Regional anesthesia administered by emergency physicians (52.63%) comprised the leading field in published articles related to RA. Most publications discussed single-shot (88.72%) and ultrasound-guided methods (55.64%). Conclusion: This study highlights that the number of published articles related to regional anesthesia in EM has increased. Although RA research has primarily focused on lower extremity blocks, clinical researchers continue to broaden the field of study to encompass a wide spectrum of techniques and indications.

Anesthesia Preferences and Outcomes in Saudi Arabian Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…However, the perception of training adequacy in regional anesthesia varied among participants, with approximately half considering the training to be inadequate. This underscores the need for standardized, competency-based training programs in regional anesthesia, encompassing both theoretical knowledge and practical skills [ 6 - 11 ].…”

“…In recent years, there has been a growing interest in regional anesthesia as an alternative or adjunct to general anesthesia, driven by advancements in regional anesthesia techniques, concerns about opioidrelated complications, and emphasis on enhanced recovery after surgery protocols [8][9][10][11]. Training in regional anesthesia is essential to ensure safe and effective practice [12,13].…”

Building Blocks—A Block-by-Block Approach to Better Emergency Care in Children

“…It reduces time to procedure and length of stay and foregoes occupying and staffing the theater. 1 In addition, RA saves on staff resources by requiring fewer members compared with theater, as well as widens the breadth of adequately trained assisting staff. Furthermore, it has been shown to hasten recovery, provide swift and effective pain management, and reduce opioid usage-the latter a growing concern in pediatrics due to risk of subsequent substance abuse.…”

“…Regional anesthesia (RA) has gained prevalence over recent years in the emergency department (ED) setting, mainly in the adult ED 1 . In the pediatric ED, the practice is still far from ubiquitous.…”

“…Usage of RA in the pediatric ED setting provides a variety of benefits to both hospital and patient. It reduces time to procedure and length of stay and foregoes occupying and staffing the theater 1 . In addition, RA saves on staff resources by requiring fewer members compared with theater, as well as widens the breadth of adequately trained assisting staff.…”