Wide-awake Local Anesthesia and no Tourniquet (WALANT) in Plastic Surgery

Wide-awake Local Anesthesia and no Tourniquet (WALANT) in Plastic Surgery: Indications, Clinical Applications and Outcomes

Wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) was proposed and performed in hand operations.

Aim of this study is to present the use of WALANT in operations performed on the upper and lower limbs, evaluate its efficacy in terms of feasibility, total operation time, total operating room time, bleeding, patient discomfort and satisfaction and control for potential drawbacks. The hypothesis is that WALANT is a viable option in common operations performed by plastic surgeons on the upper and lower limbs.

Wide-awake local anesthesia no tourniquet (WALANT) was proposed and performed in hand operations. Little has been studied, regarding its indications and efficacy in general plastic surgery operations.

Aim of this study is to present the use of WALANT in operations performed on the upper and lower limbs, evaluate its efficacy in terms of feasibility, total operation time, total operating room time, bleeding, patient discomfort and satisfaction and control for potential drawbacks. The hypothesis is that WALANT is a viable option in common operations performed by plastic surgeons on the upper and lower limbs.

A prospective study will be conducted comparing the use of WALANT in operations performed on the upper and lower limbs to the traditional use of tourniquet with general or regional anesthesia.

Inclusion Criteria:

• upper or lower limb operation
• indication for flap or skin grafting
• operated by the principal investigator

Exclusion Criteria:

• other concomitant operations performed
• known allergy to any of the ingredients of local anesthesia mixture