Anesthesiology

Discharge from the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) without observation of lower limb motor function after spinal anesthesia might significantly reduce PACU stay and enhance early rehabilitation after total joint replacement. In this issue of Anesthesiology, Aasvang et al. test this hypothesis in a multicenter randomized trial. PACU discharge without assessment of lower limb motor function after spinal anesthesia was noninferior to motor function assessment in reducing hospital length of stay and readmissions.

• Aasvang et al.: Safety Aspects of Postanesthesia Care Unit Discharge without Motor Function Assessment after Spinal Anesthesia: A Randomized, Multicenter, Semiblinded, Noninferiority, Controlled Trial, p. 1043