Wide-Awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT) for Flexor Tendon Repairs as Change in Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Cohort Study With Outcomes

Abstract

This is one of the first studies comparing zones I and II flexor tendon ROM outcomes between WA anesthesia and TA. Overall, there was a trend toward superior ROM outcomes in the WA group, with similar complication rates in both groups. The difference between ROM outcomes was not statistically significant and the small sample size undermined the strength of the study. To provide stronger evidence, better-designed prospective studies are suggested that would compare WA techniques with TA techniques.