EP179 Peripheral nerve block follow up in a district general hospital

<h3></h3> <b>Please confirm that an ethics committee approval has been applied for or granted</b>: Yes: I’m uploading the Ethics Committee Approval as a PDF file with this abstract submission <h3>Background and Aims</h3> The role of peripheral nerve blockade (PNB) as part of a multimodal analgesic strategy continues to grow. Nerve damage is a feared complication of PNB for both patients and anaesthetists. Our project aimed to quantify the rate and severity of nerve injury following PNB in our district general hospital, alongside patient centred outcomes. Finally, we assessed the feasibility of a PNB telephone follow up service in our trust. <h3>Methods</h3> Single-shot nerve blocks over a 7-month period were logged. Patients were contacted 48 hours to 14 days post-procedure, where a questionnaire was administered. We collected data on neurological complications, patient satisfaction, and the patient experience of PNB and the follow up process. <h3>Results</h3> 221 blocks were logged, of which 187 met the criteria for follow up, with successful follow up in 69% of patients. Fourteen patients required ongoing follow up due to persisting sensory neurological symptoms with 13 patients reporting complete resolution at 6 weeks (figure 1). High patient satisfaction rates were reported post PNB, 91.5% reporting as satisfied or very satisfied, and 94% of patients reporting adequate information provided about their PNB (figure 2). <h3>Conclusions</h3> We have demonstrated that PNB was associated with high patient satisfaction and a low complication rate. A comprehensive follow up system is labour intensive, and requires further input to implement permanently. The upcoming 8th National Audit Project from the Royal College of Anaesthetists (UK) will provide a greater pool of results and form recommendations from which to inform our future practice.