Wide-awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT) Hand Surgery

Abstract

Wide-awake Local Anesthesia No Tourniquet (WALANT) is a surgical technique that relies on local anesthetic and hemostatic agents to provide conditions suitable for hand surgery without sedation and tourniquet. The exclusion of sedation makes it possible to perform more procedures in an ambulatory setting rather than rely on general anesthesia only in the operating room. The use of WALANT leads to decreased cost and enhanced patient safety.Canadian plastic hand surgeon Dr. Lalonde first implemented WALANT to decrease wait times for surgery. He formally proposed the concept in 2005 and has since internationalized it.

Topics & Concepts