Feasibility and Safety of Sciatic Nerve Paraneural Sheath Block Using a Mid-Femoral Lateral Approach

Condition(s) studied

Investigational drug(s) / intervention(s)

Ultrasound-guided lateral mid-femoral sciatic nerve block: Ultrasound-guided sciatic nerve subparaneural sheath block via the lateral mid-femoral approach. Under combined ultrasound and nerve stimulator guidance, a single injection of 20 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine hydrochloride will be administered into the paraneural sheath at the mid-femoral level

Ultrasound-guided popliteal sciatic nerve block: Ultrasound-guided sciatic nerve subparaneural sheath block via the conventional popliteal approach. Under combined ultrasound and nerve stimulator guidance, a single injection of 20 mL of 0.5% ropivacaine hydrochloride will be administered into the paraneural sheath at the popliteal fossa (prior to nerve bifurcation).

Study summary

This study is designed as a randomized controlled trial aiming to evaluate the feasibility and safety of ultrasound-guided mid-femoral lateral approach sciatic nerve paraneural sheath block, in order to provide a new sciatic nerve block approach for clinical practice that offers greater patient comfort and higher precision, thereby facilitating its use for specific patient populations and less experienced operators.

Eligibility

Primary outcome measure(s)

• Rate of complete sensory blockade in the sciatic nerve distribution at 30 minutes after block completion — At 30 minutes after completion of the local anesthetic injection.
  The proportion of patients achieving complete sensory blockade (Grade III: numbness, no sensation to pinprick) in the tibial and common peroneal nerve distributions at 30 minutes following the administration of the local anesthetic. Sensory blockade will be assessed using von Frey filaments and compared to the contralateral limb.

Trial sites (1)

More General Hospital of Ningxia Medical University trials in China