Outcomes after orthopedic trauma surgery – what is the role of the anesthesia choice?

The body of literature concerning the influence of anesthetic type on many perioperative outcomes has grown considerably in recent years. Most studies have suggested that particularly in orthopedic patients, regional anesthesia may be associated with improved perioperative outcomes. Orthopedic trauma presents itself as a field that might benefit from increased utilization of regional techniques with the goal to improve outcomes. This narrative review concludes that, indeed, regional anesthesia appears to provide benefits for morbidity, pain control and improved return to function in hip fracture, rib fracture and isolated extremity fracture patients.