Review

. 2024 May;132(5):1041-1048.

doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2024.01.033. Epub 2024 Mar 5.

Research priorities in regional anaesthesia: an international Delphi study

Jenny Ferry¹, Owen Lewis¹, James Lloyd¹, Kariem El-Boghdadly², Rachel Kearns³, Eric Albrecht⁴, Fernando Altermatt⁵, Balakrishnan Ashokka⁶, Amany E Ayad⁷, Ezzat S Aziz⁷, Lutful Aziz⁸, Balavenkatasubramanian Jagannathan⁹, Noreddine Bouarroudj¹⁰, Ki Jinn Chin¹¹, Alain Delbos¹², Alex de Gracia¹³, Vivian H Y Ip¹⁴, Kwesi Kwofie¹⁵, Sebastian Layera¹⁶, Clara A Lobo¹⁷, Mohammed Mohammed¹⁸, Eleni Moka¹⁹, Milena Moreno²⁰, Bethan Morgan²¹, Arthur Polela²², Poupak Rahimzadeh²³, Suwimon Tangwiwat²⁴, Vishal Uppal¹⁵, Marcelo Vaz Perez²⁵, Thomas Volk²⁶, Patrick B Y Wong²⁷, James S Bowness²⁸, Alan J R Macfarlane³

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anaesthesia, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Newport, South Wales, UK.
² Department of Anaesthesia & Perioperative Medicine, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; Centre for Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
³ Department of Anaesthesia, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK; School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
⁴ University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Anaesthesia, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁵ Department of Anesthesiology, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
⁶ National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
⁷ Department of Anesthesia, ICU and Pain, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
⁸ Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, Evercare Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
⁹ Ganga Medical Centre and Hospital, Coimbatore, India.
¹⁰ Clinique Maissalyne Constantine, Constantine, Algeria.
¹¹ Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹² Department of Anesthesia, Medipole Garonne, Toulouse, France.
¹³ Hospital Rafael Estevez, Caja de Seguro Social, Aguadulce, Panama.
¹⁴ Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
¹⁵ Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
¹⁶ Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
¹⁷ Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
¹⁸ North Cumbria University Hospitals, Carlisle, UK.
¹⁹ Creta InterClinic Hospital, Hellenic Healthcare Group (HHG), Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
²⁰ Department of Anaesthesiology, Pontifical Xavierian University, Bogotá, Colombia; Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Columbia.
²¹ Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
²² Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.
²³ Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
²⁴ Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
²⁵ Departament of Anesthesiology and Pain Therapy of Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
²⁶ Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Therapy, Saarland University Medical Centre, Homburg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.
²⁷ Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
²⁸ Department of Anaesthesia, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Newport, South Wales, UK; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Electronic address: james.bowness@jesus.ox.ac.uk.

PMID: 38448274
PMCID: PMC11103078
DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2024.01.033

Review

Research priorities in regional anaesthesia: an international Delphi study

Jenny Ferry et al. Br J Anaesth. 2024 May.

. 2024 May;132(5):1041-1048.

doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2024.01.033. Epub 2024 Mar 5.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ Department of Anaesthesia, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Newport, South Wales, UK.
² Department of Anaesthesia & Perioperative Medicine, Guy's and St Thomas' NHS Foundation Trust, London, UK; Centre for Human and Applied Physiological Sciences, King's College London, London, UK.
³ Department of Anaesthesia, Glasgow Royal Infirmary, Glasgow, UK; School of Medicine, Dentistry and Nursing, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, UK.
⁴ University Hospital of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland; Department of Anaesthesia, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland.
⁵ Department of Anesthesiology, Escuela de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile.
⁶ National University Health System, Singapore, Singapore.
⁷ Department of Anesthesia, ICU and Pain, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt.
⁸ Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine, Evercare Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh.
⁹ Ganga Medical Centre and Hospital, Coimbatore, India.
¹⁰ Clinique Maissalyne Constantine, Constantine, Algeria.
¹¹ Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada; Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Toronto Western Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada.
¹² Department of Anesthesia, Medipole Garonne, Toulouse, France.
¹³ Hospital Rafael Estevez, Caja de Seguro Social, Aguadulce, Panama.
¹⁴ Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, University of Alberta Hospital, Edmonton, AB, Canada.
¹⁵ Department of Anesthesia, Pain Management and Perioperative Medicine, Dalhousie University, Halifax, NS, Canada.
¹⁶ Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Chile, Santiago, Chile.
¹⁷ Cleveland Clinic Abu Dhabi, Abu Dhabi, UAE.
¹⁸ North Cumbria University Hospitals, Carlisle, UK.
¹⁹ Creta InterClinic Hospital, Hellenic Healthcare Group (HHG), Heraklion, Crete, Greece.
²⁰ Department of Anaesthesiology, Pontifical Xavierian University, Bogotá, Colombia; Hospital Universitario San Ignacio, Bogotá, Columbia.
²¹ Wythenshawe Hospital, Manchester University NHS Foundation Trust, Manchester, UK.
²² Department of Anaesthesia and Critical Care, Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital, Lusaka, Zambia.
²³ Pain Research Center, Department of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran.
²⁴ Department of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Medicine Siriraj Hospital, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand.
²⁵ Departament of Anesthesiology and Pain Therapy of Faculdade de Ciências Médicas da Santa Casa de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
²⁶ Department of Anaesthesiology, Intensive Care and Pain Therapy, Saarland University Medical Centre, Homburg, Germany; Faculty of Medicine, Saarland University, Homburg, Germany.
²⁷ Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Ottawa, Ottawa, ON, Canada.
²⁸ Department of Anaesthesia, Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, Newport, South Wales, UK; Nuffield Department of Clinical Neuroscience, University of Oxford, Oxford, UK. Electronic address: james.bowness@jesus.ox.ac.uk.

PMID: 38448274
PMCID: PMC11103078
DOI: 10.1016/j.bja.2024.01.033

Abstract

Background: Regional anaesthesia use is growing worldwide, and there is an increasing emphasis on research in regional anaesthesia to improve patient outcomes. However, priorities for future study remain unclear. We therefore conducted an international research prioritisation exercise, setting the agenda for future investigators and funding bodies.

Methods: We invited members of specialist regional anaesthesia societies from six continents to propose research questions that they felt were unanswered. These were consolidated into representative indicative questions, and a literature review was undertaken to determine if any indicative questions were already answered by published work. Unanswered indicative questions entered a three-round modified Delphi process, whereby 29 experts in regional anaesthesia (representing all participating specialist societies) rated each indicative question for inclusion on a final high priority shortlist. If ≥75% of participants rated an indicative question as 'definitely' include in any round, it was accepted. Indicative questions rated as 'definitely' or 'probably' by <50% of participants in any round were excluded. Retained indicative questions were further ranked based on the rating score in the final Delphi round. The final research priorities were ratified by the Delphi expert group.

Results: There were 1318 responses from 516 people in the initial survey, from which 71 indicative questions were formed, of which 68 entered the modified Delphi process. Eleven 'highest priority' research questions were short listed, covering themes of pain management; training and assessment; clinical practice and efficacy; technology and equipment.

Conclusions: We prioritised unanswered research questions in regional anaesthesia. These will inform a coordinated global research strategy for regional anaesthesia and direct investigators to address high-priority areas.

Keywords: pain management; priority setting; regional anaesthesia; research; training and assessment.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

**Fig 1**
Pie chart showing location of respondents to initial survey.

**Fig 2**
Flow chart showing data progress over study. IQ, indicative question.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

Cited by

Study on the construction of a Chinese cardiovascular physician competency model.
Sun S, Liu M, Liu H, He W, Zheng Y, Zheng B, Quan W. Sun S, et al. Sci Rep. 2025 Jul 7;15(1):24327. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-09512-y. Sci Rep. 2025. PMID: 40624062 Free PMC article.

References

1. Chin K.J., Mariano E.R., El-Boghdadly K. Advancing towards the next frontier in regional anaesthesia. Anaesthesia. 2021;76(Suppl 1):3–7. - PubMed
1. Forero M., Adhikary S.D., Lopez H., Tsui C., Chin K.J. The erector spinae plane block: a novel analgesic technique in thoracic neuropathic pain. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2016;41:621–627. - PubMed
1. Girón-Arango L., Peng P.W.H., Chin K.J., Brull R., Perlas A. Pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block for hip fracture. Reg Anesth Pain Med. 2018;43:859–863. - PubMed
1. Bowness J., El-Boghdadly K., Burckett-St Laurent D. Artificial intelligence for image interpretation in ultrasound-guided regional anaesthesia. Anaesthesia. 2021;76:602–607. - PubMed
1. Turbitt L.R., Mariano E.R., El-Boghdadly K. Future directions in regional anaesthesia: not just for the cognoscenti. Anaesthesia. 2020;75:293–297. - PubMed

Publication types

Actions

MeSH terms

Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions
Actions

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Save citation to file

Email citation

Add to Collections

Add to My Bibliography

Your saved search

Create a file for external citation management software

Your RSS Feed

Research priorities in regional anaesthesia: an international Delphi study

Affiliations

Research priorities in regional anaesthesia: an international Delphi study

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Figures

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Abstract

Figures

Similar articles

Cited by

References

Publication types

MeSH terms

Related information

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources