Pediatric Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No-Tourniquet Hand Surgery: A Scoping Review

Abstract

Background: Having the patient completely awake during the surgery like WALANT present numerous advantages. The same benefits of the patient’s seeing active movement in an operation such as flexor tendon repair or a finger fracture holds true for children as for adults. The cornerstone for success is identifying the appropriate patient. The discussion with the patient and adequate preparation for maximum efficiency become a key for patient and surgeon comfort during the planned surgery.

Methods:  A systematic literature search was conducted in online databases: PubMed, Google Scholar, Cochrane, Scopus, and Web of Science for all articles on the topic of WALANT hand surgery in pediatric patients.

Results: The medical literature search identified 85 articles. According to our inclusion criteria, of them, 6 articles and reports were eligible for inclusion in this scoping review.

Conclusion: WALANT technique should be considered for hand surgery in suitable pediatric patients, because of its prominent benefits. The patient’s ability to comply during anesthesia and surgery is the key factor in the success of this technique.

Key Words: Hand Surgery, Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No-Tourniquet Technique, WALANT,