Table 1

Author, date, and country	Patient group	Study type	Outcomes	Key results	Study weaknesses
Bartholomew K and Sloan JP, 1990, UK	Patients with Colles’ fracture reduced under Biers’ block	Questionnaire survey to 106 emergency departments	Serious complications	No serious or fatal complications

Lowen R and Taylor J, 1994, Australia	Patients with Colles’ fracture reduced under Biers’ block	Questionnaire survey to 120 emergency departments 97% response rate	Complications	Convulsions—2
Lowen R and Taylor J, 1994, Australia	Patients with Colles’ fracture reduced under Biers’ block		Departments that fast their patients	35%

Kendall JM et al, 1995, UK	Patients with Colles’ reduced under Biers’block	Postal survey to 150 emergency departments. 58% response	Complications	No significant adverse effect	Poor response

O’Sullivan I et al, 1996, UK	Patients with Colles’ fracture who were treated under Biers’ block	Questionnaire survey to 282 emergency departments77% response	Complications in fasted and unfasted patients	No difference