3. Results for outcomes from single studies.

Comparison: Neuraxial block versus general anaesthesia
Study	Outcome	Number of patients	Type of effect size	Effect size	Lower 95% CI	Upper 95% CI
McKenzie 1984	Patient returned to their own home	130	RR	0.84	0.61	1.16
Berggren 1987	Urine retention	57	RR	0.86	0.30	2.51
Comparison: Neuraxial block added to general anaesthesia compared to general anaesthesia alone
Study	Outcome	Number of patients	Type of effect size	Effect size	Lower 95% CI	Upper 95% CI
White 1980	Pneumonia	30	RR	0.80	0.20	3.20
White 1980	Acute confusional state	30	RR	1.00	0.16	6.09
White 1980	Deep vein thrombosis	30	RR	0.17	0.01	3.94
White 1980	Length of surgery (minutes)	30	MD	0.00	‐17.96	17.96.
Comparison: Neuraxial block versus peripheral nerve block
Study	Outcome	Number of patients	Type of effect size	Effect size	Lower 95% CI	Upper 95% CI
de Visme 2000	Acute confusional state	29	RR	0.89	0.35	2.28
Eyrolle 1998	Operative hypotension	50	RR	6.00	2.02	17.83
de Visme 2000	Length of surgery (minutes)	29	MD	17.00	‐0.76	34.76
Comparison: Intravenous ketamine alone (without neuromuscular blocking agent) versus general anaesthesia
Study	Outcome	Number of patients	Type of effect size	Effect size	Lower 95% CI	Upper 95% CI
Spreadbury 1980	Unsatisfactory surgical results defined as unstable fixation or prosthesis dislocation	60	RR	2.33	0.67	8.18
Spreadbury 1980	Mortality	60	RR	1.00	0.46	2.17
Spreadbury 1980	Patient returned home	60	RR	0.95	0.66	1.38
Spreadbury 1980	Length of hospital stay	39*	MD	12.00	5.63	18.37

CI: confidence interval; MD: mean difference; RR: risk ratio

*: Mean duration of admission refers only to those patients who were discharged home