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The following is a summary of “Complications of Ultrasound-Guided Peripheral Nerve Blocks in the Emergency Department: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,” published in the February 2025 issue of Journal of Emergency Medicine by Gu et al.
Ultrasound-guided nerve block (USGNB) improved anesthetic accuracy, reduced analgesic use and adverse effects, and enhanced satisfaction.
Researchers conducted a retrospective study to evaluate the safety of USGNB in the emergency department (ED) setting.
They performed a systematic review and meta-analysis using a random effects model to estimate complication rates of USGNB in the ED and compare them to standard analgesia. Records were retrieved from PubMed and Google Scholar. Studies were included if they evaluated ED-performed USGNB and reported adverse event data.
The results showed that 179 studies were screened, with 53 included for analysis. Among these, 22 studies provided data for calculating odds ratios compared to standard analgesia. The USGNB in the ED had a complication rate of 0.05 (95% CI [0.03, 0.07]) and a lower odds ratio of 0.17 (95% CI [0.08, 0.37]) for complications compared to standard analgesia.
Investigators concluded that USGNB in the ED presented a low complication risk and offered safety benefits compared to standard analgesia.
Source: jem-journal.com/article/S0736-4679(25)00055-1/abstract
