Regional Anesthesia Training Research Articles

Latest Advances in Regional Anaesthesia.

Training and expertise in regional anaesthesia have increased significantly in tandem with increased interest over the past two decades. This review outlines the most recent advances in regional anaesthesia and focuses on novel areas of interest including fascial plane blocks. Pharmacological advances in the form of the prolongation of drug duration with liposomal bupivacaine are considered. Neuromodulation in the context of regional anaesthesia is outlined as a potential future direction. The growing use of regional anaesthesia outside of the theatre environment and current thinking on managing the rebound plane after regional block regression are also discussed. Recent relevant evidence is summarised, unanswered questions are outlined, and priorities for ongoing investigation are suggested.

Anesthesia Preferences and Outcomes in Saudi Arabian Healthcare: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Anesthesia choice is critical in ensuring optimal surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction. We aimed to investigate anesthesia preferences, trends, and outcomes in elective surgeries within Saudi Arabian healthcare settings. A cross-sectional survey-based study was conducted among anesthesia residents and attending anesthesiologists across Saudi Arabia. Participants provided demographic information and responded to questions regarding anesthesia preferences, trends, and outcomes. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the data, and logistic regression analysis was employed to identify factors associated with anesthesia preference. The survey was completed by 572 healthcare professionals in Saudi Arabia. Among participants, 51.7% (n=296) preferred general anesthesia, while 48.3% (n=276) favored regional anesthesia for elective surgeries. Factors influencing anesthesia choice included patient preference, surgical complexity, and resource availability. Over half of the respondents reported an increase in regional anesthesia preference over the past five years, although some perceived inadequate training in this area. Common barriers to regional anesthesia adoption included equipment availability, patient reluctance, and limited training opportunities. Postoperative recovery was perceived as quicker with regional anesthesia by 52.3% (n=299) of participants, with postoperative nausea and vomiting being the most common complication associated with general anesthesia. Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed that participants above 50 years had lower odds of preferring regional anesthesia, while those perceiving training adequacy in regional anesthesia as adequate had higher odds of preferring it (OR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.41-0.98, p=0.041; OR=1.58, 95% CI: 1.21-2.05, p=0.001, respectively). This study provides insights into anesthesia practice patterns in Saudi Arabian healthcare settings. Individualized anesthesia care, ongoing training in regional anesthesia, and evidence-based decision-making are essential to optimize perioperative outcomes and patient satisfaction.

Regional anaesthesia practice in public hospitals in Botswana: A cross-sectional study.

Little is known about the regional anesthesia practice in low resources settings (LRS). The aim of this study was to describe the regional anesthesia capacity, characteristics of regional anesthesia practice, and challenges and solutions of practicing safe regional anesthesia in public hospitals in Botswana. This was a cross-sectional survey of anesthesia providers working in public hospitals in Botswana. A purposive sampling method of public hospitals was used to achieve representation of different hospital levels across Botswana. Paper-based questionnaires were sent to anesthesia providers from selected hospitals. Descriptive statistics were used for analysis. Questionnaires were distributed to 47 selected anesthesia providers from selected hospitals; 38 (80.9%) were returned. Most participants were nurse anesthetists and medical officers (57.8%). All hospitals perform spinal anesthesia; however, other regional techniques were performed by a small number of participants in one referral hospital. Most hospitals had adequate regional anesthesia drugs and sedation medications, however, most hospitals (except one referral hospital) lacked ultrasound machine and the regional anesthesia kit. The common challenges reported were lack of knowledge and skills, lack of equipment and supplies, and lack of hospital engagement and support. Some solutions were proposed such as regional anesthesia training and engaging the hospital management to get resources. The results of this study suggest that spinal anesthesia is the most common regional anesthesia technique performed by anesthesia providers working in public hospitals in Botswana followed by few upper limb blocks. However, most public hospitals lack enough training capacity, equipment, and supplies for regional anesthesia. More engagement of the hospital management, investment in regional anesthesia resources, and training are needed in order to improve the regional anesthesia capacity and provide safe surgery and anesthesia in Botswana.

Regional anaesthesia training in the UK – a national survey

BackgroundAdequate training of anaesthetists in regional anaesthesia is important to ensure optimal patient access to regional anaesthesia. MethodsWe undertook a national survey of UK trainee anaesthetists and Royal College of Anaesthetists (RCoA) tutors to assess experiences of training in regional anaesthesia. We performed descriptive statistics for baseline characteristics, and logistic regression of training indices and tutor confidence that their hospital could provide regional anaesthesia training at all three stages of the RCoA 2021 curriculum. ResultsA total of 492 trainees (19.2%) and 114 tutors (45.2%) completed the survey. Trainees were less likely to have received training in chest/abdominal wall compared with upper/lower limb blocks {erector spinae vs femoral block (odds ratio [OR] 0.25, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.16–0.39), P<0.001}, or achieved >20 chest/abdominal wall blocks by Stage 3 of training (chest vs lower limb block [OR 0.09, 95% CI 0.05–0.15, P<0.001]. There was a strong association between training received, number of blocks performed (>20 vs 0–5 blocks), and self-reported ability to perform blocks independently, OR 20.9 (95% CI 9.38–53.2). 24/182 (13%) and 10/182 (5.5%) of trainees had performed ≥50 non-obstetric lumbar and thoracic epidurals, respectively, by Stage 3 training. There was a positive association between having a lead clinician for regional anaesthesia, particularly those with paid sessions, and reported confidence to provide regional anaesthesia training at all stages of the curriculum (Stage 3 OR 7.27 [95% CI 2.64–22.0]). ConclusionOur results confirm the importance of clinical experience and access to training in regional anaesthesia, and support the introduction of departmental regional anaesthesia leads to improve equity and quality in training opportunities.

Simulation-Based Education in Acute and Chronic Pain Training.

The use of simulation-based education (SBE) in medical training has expanded greatly and has grown to include high fidelity and task simulation along with hybrid models using patient actors to enhance education and training of critical events as well as technical skills. In the field of anesthesiology, SBE has been particularly useful for crisis resource management and rare critical scenarios and new research into the use of SBE using task simulation for procedural skill development has been done highlighting the benefits to subspecialty procedural training. Medical simulation has become a common practice in medical training and research. SBE has demonstrated positive outcomes in improving technical skills, knowledge, comfort, and clinical performance. The widespread implementation of SBE in regional anesthesia and chronic pain training varies, with cost and availability being factors. Nonetheless, SBE has shown great potential in enhancing education and preparing physicians in subspecialties of anesthesia.

Ultrasound Guided Regional Anesthesia and Simulation

Problem: Literature regarding the number of iterations required for a nurse anesthetist graduate student to become proficient in ultrasound guided regional anesthesia is scare. Objectives: This pilot study aims to quantify the number of iterations and the amount of time required to reach a level of proficiency to identify the interscalene brachial plexus nerve bundle under ultrasound guidance. Design: A repeated measures design with a pretest-posttest methodology was used on a convenience sample of second year nurse anesthetist graduate students. A pretest was conducted followed by an educational component and five posttest iterations. The educational component included a lecture and hands on demonstrations on how to locate the interscalene brachial plexus nerve bundle. Each interations was analyzed for accuracy and timing. A posttest survey was given to the participants to assess student satisfaction. Results: The rate of accurate identifications of the interscalene brachial plexus nerve bundle increased from 16.67% during the pretest to 83.33% at the end of the fifth posttest iteration. An average of 1.83 iterations were required to accurately identify the interscalene brachial plexus nerve bundle. The average time taken to accurately identify the interscalene brachial plexus nerve bundle was 1 minute 19 seconds. The average time to first correct response was 1 minute 24 seconds. The average rate of accuracy for participants over six iterations was 53%. Eighty-three percent of participants strong agreed and 17% of participants agreed that they felt confident in their ability to perform the interscalene brachial plexus block. All participants agreed that the ultrasound guided regional anesthesia project was beneficial and provided knowledge of the anatomy of the interscalene brachial plexus nerve bundle. Validity of the survey and protocol was assessed by face validity. Significance: The project demonstrates a proof of concept of combining an educational presentation with repetitive simulation education in developing proficiency to identify the interscalene brachial plexus nerve bundle under ultrasound guidance. It also provides the nurse anesthesia program at the University of Buffalo evidence based information for future ultrasound guided regional anesthesia training activities. Lastly, it adds to the growing body of knowledge related to ultrasound guided regional anesthesia.

A modern roadmap for the use of simulation in regional anesthesiology training.

A variety of educational modalities are used to teach regional anesthesia. Simulation is an educational tool that facilitates hands-on learning in a well tolerated, reproducible environment, eliminating potential harm to patients during the process of learning. Available literature and expert consensus statements support customizing simulation programs according to the level of training and experience of the learners. Simulation is useful for learners of all levels of expertise, though the application and frequency of simulation must be adapted to meet the learners' objectives. This review presents recommendations for the use of simulation for residents, fellows, practicing anesthesiologists without formal training in regional anesthesia, and practicing anesthesiologists with regional anesthesia expertise. Passports and portfolio programs that include simulation can be used to verify training. Virtual applications of simulation are growing, expanding the scope of regional anesthesia simulation and increasing access to lower resource areas.

Development of entrustable professional activities for regional anesthesia and pain medicine fellowship training

IntroductionThe Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) offers descriptions of competencies and milestones but does not provide standardized assessments to track trainee competency. Entrustable professional activities (EPAs) and special...

Letter to the Editor on: "Integrating a Cadaver Review Session into the Existing Regional Anesthesia Training for Anesthesiology Residents: an Initial Experience".

Letter to the Editor on: "Integrating a Cadaver Review Session into the Existing Regional Anesthesia Training for Anesthesiology Residents: an Initial Experience".

Simulation-Based Medical Education and Training Enhance Anesthesia Residents' Proficiency in Erector Spinae Plane Block.

BackgroundAdvances in regional anesthesia and pain management led to the advent of ultrasound-guided fascial plane blocks, which represent a new and promising route for the administration of local anesthetics. Both practical and theoretical knowledge of locoregional anesthesia are therefore becoming fundamental, requiring specific training programs for residents. Simulation-based medical education and training (SBET) has been recently applied to ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) with remarkable results. With this in mind, the anesthesia and intensive care residency program of the University of Milano-Bicocca organized a 4-h regional anesthesia training workshop with the BlockSim® (Accurate Srl, Cesena) simulator. Our study aimed to measure the residents' improvement in terms of reduction in time required to achieve an erector spinae plane (ESP) block.MethodsFifty-two first-year anesthesia residents were exposed to a 4-h training workshop focused on peripheral blocks. The course included an introductory theoretical session held by a locoregional anesthetist expert, a practical training on human models and mannequins using Onvision® (B. Braun, Milano) technologies, and two test performances on the BlockSim simulator. Residents were asked to perform two ESP blocks on the BlockSim: the first without previous practice on the simulator, the second at the end of the course. Trainees were also also asked to complete a self-assessment questionnaire.ResultsThe time needed to achieve the block during the second attempt was significantly shorter (131 [83, 198] vs. 68 [27, 91] s, p < 0.001). We also observed a reduction in the number of needle insertions from 3 [2, 7] to 2 [1, 4] (p = 0.002), and an improvement aiming correctly at the ESP from 30 (58%) to 46 (88%) (p < 0.001). Forty-nine (94%) of the residents reported to have improved their regional anesthesia knowledge, 38 (73%) perceived an improvement in their technical skills and 46 (88%) of the trainees declared to be “satisfied/very satisfied” with the course.ConclusionsA 4-h hands-on course based on SBET may enhance first-year residents' UGRA ability, decrease the number of punctures and time needed to perform the ESP block, and improve the correct aim of the fascia.

Trauma in Obstetrical Patients.

Introduction:Pregnant trauma patients are an underdescribed cohort in the medical literature. Noting injury patterns and contributors to mortality may lead to improved care.Methods:Female patients between 14 and 49 years of age were identified among entries in the 2017 National Trauma Data Bank. Data points were compared using Chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, Student's t-test, Mann–Whitney rank-sum, or multiple logistic regression as appropriate. P < 0.05 was used to determine the findings of significance.Results:There were 569 pregnant trauma patients identified, which was 0.54% of the 105,507 women identified. Overall, mortality was low among all women and not different between groups (1.2% for pregnant women vs. 2.2% for nonpregnant, P = 0.12). Pregnant women with head injuries had a higher mortality rate than pregnant women without (4.2% vs. 0.47%, P < 0.01). Head injuries (Abbreviated Injury Severity Score [AIS] head >1) were associated with an increased risk for mortality (odds ratio: 3.33, 95% confidence interval: 3.0–3.7, P < 0.01).Conclusion:There was no increase in mortality for trauma patients who are pregnant when controlling for covariates. Factors such as head injuries, the need for blood, and comorbid diseases appear to have a more significant contribution to mortality. We also report the prevalence of head, cervical spine, and extremity injuries in pregnant trauma patients. Multidisciplinary simulation, jointly crafted protocols, and expanding training in regional anesthesia may be the next steps to improving care for pregnant trauma patients.

217 Establishing an Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia Training Curriculum for Emergency Physicians

Managing acute pain is a common challenge in the emergency department (ED). Pain regimens often rely on a combination of topical, oral, or parenteral options, including opioid analgesics which are often used for treating severe acute pain. Regional anesthesia (RA) delivers local anesthetic to targeted nerves or nerve groups which cause pain. Though widely used in peri-operative settings, RA has been slow to gain traction in the ED. Here, we developed a low-cost, low-fidelity, simulation-based training curriculum in ultrasound-guided RA for emergency physicians.

Non-Fellowship regional anesthesia training and assessment: an international Delphi study on a consensus curriculum

Background and objectivesWhile there are several published recommendations and guidelines for trainees undertaking subspecialty Fellowships in regional anesthesia, a similar document describing a core regional anesthesia curriculum for non-fellowship trainees...

The Anatomy Table – Is it the Future Learning Tool for Regional Anaesthesiologists?

Cadaveric dissection has been the main stay of anatomy training for regional anaesthesia over the years. Advent of advance visualisation hardware and software has revolutionised anatomy teaching and it is only a matter of time before this technology transcends into regional anaesthesia training. This article demonstrates the innumerable capabilities of virtual dissection table using one specific use case- the supraclavicular approach to the brachial plexus block. Keywords: Simulation, Virtual dissection, Virtual anatomy

Validation of the soft-embalmed Thiel cadaver as a high-fidelity simulator of pressure during targeted nerve injection

IntroductionAlthough administration of regional anesthesia nerve blocks has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic, training opportunities in regional anesthesia have reduced. Simulation training may enhance skills, but simulators must be accurate...

Practice Variation in Regional Anesthesia Utilization by Current and Former U.S. Military Anesthesiology Residents.

Per Joint Trauma System guidelines, military anesthesiologists are expected to be ready to lead an Acute Pain Service with regional anesthesia in combat casualty care. However, regional anesthesia practice volume has not been assessed in the military. The objective of this study was to assess regional anesthesia utilization among current residents and graduates of U.S. military anesthesiology residency programs. All current and former active duty military anesthesiology program residents, trained at any of the four military anesthesiology residency programs between 2013 and 2019, were anonymously surveyed about their regional anesthesia practice. Bivariate statistics described the total single-injection and catheter block techniques utilized in the last month. Cluster analysis assessed for the presence of distinct practice groups within the sample. Follow-up analyses explored potential associations between cluster membership and other variables (e.g., residency training site, residency graduation year, overall confidence in performing regional anesthesia, etc.). This protocol received exemption determination separately from each site's institutional review board. Current and former residents reported broad variation in regional anesthesia practice and clustered into four distinct practice groups. Less than half of respondents utilized a moderate to high number of different single-injection and catheter blocks. These findings highlight the need for creative solutions to increase regional anesthesia training in military anesthesiology programs and continued ability to implement skills, such that all military anesthesiologists have adequate practice for deployed responsibilities.

Contemporary training methods in regional anaesthesia: fundamentals and innovations.

Over the past two decades, regional anaesthesia and medical education as a whole have undergone a renaissance. Significant changes in our teaching methods and clinical practice have been influenced by improvements in our theoretical understanding as well as by technological innovations. More recently, there has been a focus on using foundational education principles to teach regional anaesthesia, and the evidence on how to best teach and assess trainees is growing. This narrative review will discuss fundamentals and innovations in regional anaesthesia training. We present the fundamentals in regional anaesthesia training, specifically the current state of simulation-based education, deliberate practice and curriculum design based on competency-based progression. Moving into the future, we present the latest innovations in web-based learning, emerging technologies for teaching and assessment and new developments in alternate reality learning systems.

Ultrasound detection of iatrogenic injury during peribulbar eye block: a cadaveric study

BackgroundOphthalmic eye blocks, such as retrobulbar, peribulbar and sub-Tenon’s, are traditionally conducted “blind”. Complications are rare but potentially devastating. Life-threatening complications include brain stem anesthesia and local anesthetic toxicity, whereas...

Education and training in ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia and pain medicine.

Effective and safe regional anaesthesia and pain medicine procedures require clinicians to learn and master complex theoretical knowledge and motor skills. This review aims to summarize articles relevant to education and training in these skill sets in the previous 2 years. Twenty-two articles were identified, investigating nine out of the 13 top-ranked research topics in education and training in regional anaesthesia. Research topics addressed by these articles included prerotation simulation, deliberate practice combined with formative assessment tools, validation of assessment tools, three-dimensional-printed models, and knowledge translation from simulation to clinical practice. Emerging concepts investigated for their applications in regional anaesthesia included eye-tracking as a surrogate metric when evaluating proficiency, and elastography aiding visual salience to distinguish appropriate perineural and inappropriate intraneural injections. Research into education and training in regional anaesthesia covered multiple and diverse topics. Methodological limitations were noted in several articles, reflecting the difficulties in designing and conducting medical education studies. Nonetheless, the evidence-base continues to mature and innovations provide exciting future possibilities.

Regional anesthesia training model for resource-limited settings: a prospective single-center observational study with pre–post evaluations

Background and objectivesEducational initiatives are a sustainable means to address provider shortages in resource-limited settings (RLS), yet few regional anesthesia curricula for RLS have been described. We sought to design...