A randomised controlled trial of intrathecal blockade versus peripheral nerve blockade for day‐case knee arthroscopy

Summary We allocated 100 patients scheduled for day‐case knee arthroscopy to unilateral spinal anaesthesia with 40 mg intrathecal hyperbaric prilocaine or to ultrasound‐guided femoral‐sciatic nerve blockade with 25 ml mepivacaine 2%, 50 participants each. The median ( IQR [range]) time to walk was 285 (240–330 [160–515]) min after intrathecal anaesthesia vs 328 (280–362 [150–435]) min after peripheral nerve blockade, p = 0.007. The median ( IQR [range]) time to home discharge was 310 (260–350 [160–520]) min after intrathecal anaesthesia vs 335 (290–395 [190–440]) min after peripheral nerve blockade, p = 0.016. There was no difference in time from anaesthetic preparation to readiness for surgery.