Patella Fracture Fixation Via Wide Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet (Walant) Technique

INTRODUCTION: Fracture of the tibia are the most common long bone fracture, with an incidence greater than 75,000 per year in the US1. With the recent breakthrough of operation under WALANT (Wide Awake Local Anaesthesia No Tourniquet) technique. We reported a patient with midshaft tibia fracture who underwent plating under the WALANT technique METHODOLOGY: 18 yearold gentleman sustained a closed fracture of his left tibia after his motorbike skidded. He wascounselled for the surgery to be done under the wide-awake technique as we have limited operating theatre time for the case to be done under general/regional anaesthesia. Preoperatively, the WALANT solution is prepared using 50 cc lidocaine 2%, 1cc of epinephrine, 10cc of sodium bicarbonate 8.4% then dilute into 50 cc normal saline. Total of 50 cc WALANT solution was injected along the planned skin incision and at subperiosteum 30 minutes before operation started. RESULT: Pain score patient remain 0-3/10 during and after removal of backslab, throughout the surgery and postoperatively. The use of epinephrine for hemostasis provide good surgical field view since there is minimal bleeding. Postoperatively the anaesthesia effect lasted for 6 hour and was patient able to move the leg straight away without have to keep lying in bed for 6 hours after spinal or drowsiness from sedation. CONCLUSION: Plating of tibia under WALANT is a good alternative for patient who have financial difficulty, high risk operation under general anaesthesia, hospital which have limited slot for operation under general anaesthesia and etc. Additionally, the strength and stability of the plate can be assessed intraoperatively by asking the patient to actively move his limb. REFERENCE: 1. Praemer A, Furner S, Rice DP. Musculoskeletal Conditions in the United States. Park Ridge, IL: American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons; 1992.