Regional anesthesia and analgesia for trauma: an updated review

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This narrative review is an updated summary of the value of regional anesthesia and analgesia for trauma and the special considerations when optimizing pain management and utilizing regional analgesia for acute traumatic pain. RECENT FINDINGS: In the setting of the opioid epidemic, the need for multimodal analgesia in trauma is imperative. It has been proposed that inadequately treated acute pain predisposes a patient to increased risk of developing chronic pain and continued opioid use. Enhanced Regional Anesthesia techniques along with multimodal pain therapies is thought to reduce the stress response and improve patient's short- and long-term outcomes. SUMMARY: Our ability to save life and limb has improved, but our ability to manage acute traumatic pain continues to lag. Understanding trauma-specific concerns and tailoring the analgesia to a patient's specific injuries can increase a patient's immediate comfort and long-term outcome as well.