Analgesia in the Emergency Department for Lower Leg and Knee Injuries: A Case Report

Introduction: Lower extremity injuries are commonly evaluated and treated in the emergency department (ED). Pain management for these injuries often consists of acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, and opioids. Despite this treatment regimen, adequate analgesia is not always achieved. C...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Michael Shalaby, Yonhoon Lee, Joseph McShannic, Michael Rosselli
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: eScholarship Publishing, University of California 2025-01-01
Series:Clinical Practice and Cases in Emergency Medicine
Online Access:https://escholarship.org/uc/item/7j79g812
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Summary:Introduction: Lower extremity injuries are commonly evaluated and treated in the emergency department (ED). Pain management for these injuries often consists of acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatories, and opioids. Despite this treatment regimen, adequate analgesia is not always achieved. Case Report: A 38-year-old man presented to the ED with a non-displaced tibia-fibula fracture. The patient did not attain analgesia with intravenous medications but did get complete anesthesia of his lower leg with a combination saphenous and popliteal sciatic nerve block. Conclusion: Emergency physicians possess the skill set required to effectively perform a saphenous and popliteal sciatic nerve block and should consider adding this procedure to their armamentarium of pain management techniques in treating injuries distal to the knee.
ISSN:2474-252X