Combined psoas compartment block and sciatic nerve block versus unilateral subarachnoid block as a sole anaesthetic technique for lower limb orthopaedic surgery – A prospective randomised controlled study

: Nerve block as a part on regional anaesthesia extends analgesia time and gives better haemodynamic stability, so comparison of nerve block like psoas compartment block and sciatic nerve block with spinal anaesthesia is our main aim of study. Total 96 patients of tibial surgeries with any gender of ASA grade I, II and III were assigned and randomly divided into two groups:- group P- psoas compartment block plus sciatic nerve block and group S-unilateral subarachnoid block. Parameters compared were onset, peak effect and duration of sensory and motor blockage, haemodynamic parameters, postoperative duration of analgesia and requirement of rescue analgesics post-operatively. Onset of motor and sensory block were faster in group S than group P. There was no significant difference in haemodynamic parameters in both the group. Duration of analgesia in group P was 16.79 ±2.3 hours as compared to group S was 5.57 ±0.49 hours, which was highly significant. Number of rescue analgesic required was significantly less in group P(1.10 ± 0.30) as compared to group S (3.04 ± 0.20) without significant complications in both the groups. Combined psoas compartment block with sciatic nerve block provides prolonged duration of analgesia over subarachnoid block and less numbers of rescue analgesics required postoperatively with good haemodynamic stability.