Peripheral Nerve Blocks for Above-the-knee Amputations

Surgery performed with nerve blocks and sedation may be safer and provide better pain control compared to general anesthesia and opioid therapy in high-risk patient populations such as elderly and troubled with peripheral vascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, coronary artery disease, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

Avoidance of general anesthesia in certain high-risk patient populations may have additional benefits beyond improved postoperative pain scores and analgesic consumption. The primary objective of this research will be to evaluate the ability of the femoral, sciatic, lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN), and obturator blocks to provide surgical anesthesia.