MIDCAB (Mid-Calf Block) for Foot Surgery

MIDCAB is defined as a group of ultrasound guided distal nerve blocks at the level of the individual branches. It is similar to an Ultrasound Guided (USG) Ankle block but the probe is placed higher on the calf covering all and any surgery of the foot and ankle, providing prolonged analgesia since we are blocking the individual nerves and preserving the proximal motor function. This study is determining the potential therapeutic effect of MIDCAB during the hospital stay and recovery period in patients undergoing foot/ankle surgeries that require spinal anesthetic and peripheral nerve blocks. A total of 20 patients at HSS will participate to see if MIDCAB is not only effective at providing analgesia (pain relief) but to see if it allows allows patients to maintain motor function (movement) of the foot and ankle unlike the current popliteal block which is done above the knee and prevents patients from moving their foot. During the course of the study we will also be looking at patients numeric pain scores with movement and at rest along with post-operative nausea and vomiting, the presence of numbness and it patients can move their foot. Along with all of these, the study will also look at the amount of opioid pain medications taken by patients along with medication-related side effects. As a result, the study will be used to determine if MIDCAB provides analgesia for patients undergoing foot/ankle surgery while allowing them to maintain movement of the foot. This pilot study will also be used to gather preliminary data that will allow us to perform a power analysis for a subsequent randomized clinical control trial that would compare the MIDCAB block to the popliteal block.