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

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.