NCT01337115

Effect of a Sciatic Block (SNB) Combined With a Continuous Femoral Block (CFNB) on Pain Scores After Knee Arthroplasty

Effect of a Single Shot Sciatic Nerve Block (SNB) Combined With a Continuous Femoral Block (CFNB) on Pain Scores After Knee Arthroplasty. A Randomized Controlled Trial

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 50 (actual)
• Sponsor: Centro Hospitalar do Porto · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: —
• Healthy volunteers: Not accepted

Summary

The purpose of this study is to determine if the addition of a sciatic nerve block (SNB) to a continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB) improves post-operative analgesia after knee arthroplasty.

Detailed description

Background: Postoperative pain after total knee replacement /arthroplasty (TKA) is a major concern. It is severe pain in 60% of patients and moderate in 30%. Continuous femoral nerve blocks (CFNB) are considered an excellent choice for regional anesthesia for major knee repair but there are some controversies about the need of supplemental obturator or sciatic nerve blocks for achieving better postoperative analgesia. A recent meta-analysis states there is no sufficient evidence to recommend or discharge these associations. Objectives: We aim to assess the efficacy of the association of a sciatic nerve block (SNB) and a continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB) for reducing postoperative pain in patients submitted to TKA. Methods: A randomized controlled study on 50 patients submitted to TKA. Control group receives a femoral nerve block with a catheter before general anesthesia is induced and the intervention group gets a similar block plus a single shot SNB before general anesthesia. Both groups start a continuous local anesthetic infusion through femoral catheter after the end of surgery and supplemental oral diclofenac and paracetamol. Pain scores are measured until 24h postoperatively, side effects and patient satisfaction are monitored.

Conditions

• Postoperative Pain

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
PROCEDURE	SNB plus CFNB	A single shot sciatic nerve block (SNB) is performed with 25 ml of 0.2% ropivacaine before surgery in addition to an isolated continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB) in the control group
PROCEDURE	CFNB	A continuous femoral nerve block is performed for peri-operative analgesia and a bolus of 30 ml of ropivacaine 0.375% is injected before induction of general anesthesia and surgery starts. An infusion of 8ml/h of ropivacaine 0.2% is started in post anesthesia care unit (PACU) and maintained for 48h

Timeline

• Start date: 2011-04-01
• Primary completion: 2012-02-01
• Completion: 2012-03-01
• First posted: 2011-04-18
• Last updated: 2012-06-19
• Results posted: 2012-06-19

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Portugal