Is there a need for postoperative monitoring after open carpal tunnel release under WALANT?
Publisher DOI
PubMed ID
35850181
Abstract
Open carpal tunnel release (OCTR) under wide-awake local anesthesia with no tourniquet (WALANT) is a common outpatient procedure in hand surgery worldwide. In our clinic, WALANT has replaced intravenous regional anesthesia with a tourniquet (IVRA, or 'Bier block') as standard practice in OCTR. We therefore wondered what the optimal postoperative setting after OCTR under WALANT is. In this study, we compared patient satisfaction in two postoperative settings: immediate discharge (ID) after the operation, or short postoperative monitoring (PM) period in the outpatient clinic. Our hypothesis was that older patients would prefer a brief postoperative surveillance. We retrospectively analyzed patient satisfaction with the two settings using an adjusted questionnaire based on the standard Swiss grading system. We also assessed postoperative pain, satisfaction with the perioperative preparations and the reasons for unscheduled postoperative consultations, as secondary outcomes. One hundred and nine patients (ID, n = 63; PM, n = 46) were included in this single-center retrospective observational study. Patients were highly satisfied with both postoperative settings (Mean: ID 5.1/6; PM 5.5/6; p = 0.07). Even patients aged ≥80 years reported extremely high satisfaction with both settings (ID 5.6/6; PM 6.0/6; p = 0.08). Fifteen patients (ID, n = 11 [17.5%]; PM, n = 4 [8.7%], p = 0.72) unexpectedly consulted a doctor after surgery. OCTR under WALANT as an outpatient procedure with immediate discharge was associated with high patient satisfaction. However, detailed postoperative monitoring could contribute to the patient's well-being and education on how to cope with the postoperative course, and help with any questions.
Date Issued
2022-10
Publication Type
Article
Subject(s)
Subjects
Chirurgie ambulatoire Consultations postopératoires non programmées Libération ouverte du nerf médian au canal carpien Open carpal tunnel release Outpatient surgery Postoperative monitoring Surveillance postopératoire Unscheduled postoperative consultations WALANT
Language(s)
en
Author(s)
Lech, L | |
Loucas, R | |
Leitsch, S | |
Vater, A | |
Giunta, R | |
Holzbach, T |
Additional Credits
Journal
Hand surgery & rehabilitation
Publisher
Elsevier Masson
ISSN
2468-1210
Access(Rights)
open.access