Sedation with sufentanil and midazolam decreases pain in patients undergoing upper limb surgery under multiple nerve block

Multiple nerve blocks may be painful and a source of discomfort. We assessed the efficacy of sufentanil 5 mu g combined with midazolam 1 mg in decreasing pain in outpatients after a midhumeral multiple nerve stimulation technique. Visual analog scores for pain were significantly lower in those patients who received sedation before the block, both at the time of block performance (14 +/- 1 vs 27 +/- 2 mm, P < 0.0001) and at discharge (11 +/- 1 vs 24 +/- 2 mm, P < 0.0001). We conclude that the association of sufentanil and midazolam produced minimal sedation while significantly reducing pain experienced by patients undergoing multiple nerve stimulation.