Efficacy of Popliteal Nerve Blocks With and Without Dexamethasone on the Duration of Analgesia for Foot & Ankle Surgery

Prospective Randomized Double Blind Study to Evaluate the Efficacy of Popliteal Nerve Blocks With and Without Dexamethasone on the Duration of Analgesia for Foot & Ankle Surgery.

The purpose of this research study to evaluate the effects of dexamethasone as an addition to peripheral nerve block (Put the nerve to sleep with Bupivacaine a numbing medication) on length of pain relief (analgesia), postoperative narcotic (opioids) requirements, pain scores, and patient satisfaction after foot and ankle procedures.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 60 patients (30 per group) undergoing foot and ankle procedures
• Willingness and ability to sign an informed consent document
• No allergies to anesthetic or analgesic medications
• American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA)physical status Class I - III
• Aged 18-90 years,either sex

Exclusion Criteria:

• Refusal to participate in the study
• Age<18 or> 90 years -
• Contraindications to regional blockage including but not limited to:
• Patient refusal to regional blockade
• Infection at the site of needle insertion
• Systemic infection
• Bleeding diathesis or coagulopathy