RT Book, Section A1 Ilfeld, Brian M. A1 Renehan, Elizabeth M. A1 Enneking, F. Kayser A2 Hadzic, Admir SR Print(0) ID 3507797 T1 Chapter 64. Continuous Peripheral Nerve Blocks in Outpatients T2 NYSORA Textbook of Regional Anesthesia and Acute Pain Management YR 2007 FD 2007 PB The McGraw-Hill Companies PP New York, NY SN 9780071449069 LK accessanesthesiology.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=3507797 RD 2024/03/29 AB Over 40% of ambulatory patients experience moderate-to-severe postoperative pain at home following orthopedic procedures.1 Single-injection peripheral nerve blocks with long-acting local anesthetics can provide excellent postoperative analgesia. However, the analgesic benefit of single-injection blocks is typically limited to the duration of the blockade and, subsequently, patients must usually rely on oral opioids to control pain. Unfortunately, opioids are associated with undesirable side effects, such as pruritus, nausea and vomiting, sedation, and constipation. To improve postoperative analgesia following ambulatory surgery, increasing interest has focused on providing perineural local anesthetic infusions, also called, continuous peripheral nerve blocks, to outpatients. This technique involves a percutaneous insertion of a catheter directly adjacent to the peripheral nerve(s) supplying the surgical site. Local anesthetic is then infused via the catheter, providing prolonged, site-specific analgesia.