Pain Relief After Forefoot Surgery

The aim to test whether continues local anaesthetic infusion via tibial catheter or wound catheter will improve pain relief following forefoot surgery

In this sequential prospective randomised, controlled clinical trial,75 Patients undergoing forefoot surgery will be randomized into three groups (tibial, wound, control). All groups will receive ankle block ± general anesthetic (standard technique). The tibial group will have a tibial catheter inserted through which local anaesthetic will be infused. The wound group will have a catheter inserted directly into the wound immediately after surgery. The control group will have a sham catheter (covered by a bandage across foot) attached to a pump which will not infuse. Patient maximum pain scores (primary outcome measure), nausea/ vomiting, analgesia use, satisfaction and sleep disturbance will be recorded postoperatively. All groups will be then followed by telephone calls 48 hours. Patients will be instructed to come to the clinic on the 4th postoperative day where the catheter will be removed.