Regional block anaesthesia in ambulatory surgical treatment of lower limb varicose veins

Ambulatory or Day Hospital surgery is economically advantageous but requires care in patient selection, choice of anaesthesia, drug administration and discharge criteria. Locoregional anaesthesia is particularly suitable in the treatment of lower limb varicose veins since complete reversal of the anaesthetic block in a few hours in non-hospitalized patients is possible. Our experience over 18 months involved 66 patients, aged 18-65 years, affected by venous insufficiency of the lower limbs belonging to ASA I and ASA II groups. We evaluated the patient’s and surgeon’s approval of the method and the need for systemic analgesia, perioperative sedation and/or further infiltration to complete the block. In the post-operative period we also evaluated mobilization, the need for analgesic therapy and the ability to discharge the patient. Troncular anaesthesia proved to be suitable for this kind of surgery, with a discomfort incidence of about 15% (patients who required sedation or analgesia). Q 1997 Elsevier Science Ireland Ltd.