Erkin, Özdemir, Ergin
Genel Tıp Dergisi - 2025;35(5):974-979
This study aimed to assess the effectiveness of the WALANT technique in upper extremity surgeries, focusing on surgical outcomes and patient satisfaction. A retrospective review was conducted on 218 patients who underwent various upper extremity procedures using WALANT. The mean intraoperative pain score was 1.6 +/- 0.9, indicating minimal discomfort. Surgical times varied by procedure, with trigger finger release being the shortest (17.4 +/- 4.2 minutes) and tendon transfers the longest (52.6 +/- 8.9 minutes). The overall complication rate was low at 5.0%, with transient stiffness (3.2%) and delayed wound healing (1.8%) being the most common issues. Patient satisfaction scores were high, averaging 4.7 +/- 0.6 on a 5-point Likert scale. The study concludes that WALANT is an effective and safe alternative to traditional anesthesia methods, offering advantages such as reduced costs, improved patient cooperation, and the ability to assess intraoperative function.
