The incidence of major complications resulting in permanent nerve damage has been reported as 1.5 in 10,000 13). Since knee has a much more complicated nerve distribution compared with calf or ankle, nerve block anesthesia has been rarely attempted to avoid nerve injury. Many studies have been published regarding the usefulness of nerve block in knee surgery, but postoperative pain management was a matter of concern 10, 11, 12). 9) reported on anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using the hamstring tendon under regional anesthesia, but femorosciatic nerve block and spinal anesthesia were also performed. However, most of these studies concern regional anesthesia during foot or ankle surgery. Many studies reported on the lower-extremity nerve block using evoked paresthesia nerve block, neurostimulator-guided nerve block, ultrasound-guided nerve block, etc 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8). Therefore, nerve block has acquired a larger role in orthopedic surgery 2, 3).
It is also an efficacious way for postoperative pain control and requires no fasting.
On the contrary, peripheral nerve block has been associated with much less complications. However, it has been reported that general or spinal anesthesia in lower extremity operation among advanced age patients lead to mortality in 15 of 10,000 patients and there is a possibility of various complications, such as postoperative pain, respiratory problems, headache, hypotension, and urinary retention 4). In orthopedic surgery, various anesthetic methods such as general, regional (epidural, spinal, intravenous, and peripheral nerve blocks) and local anesthesia are applied 1, 2, 3).
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