Defining the Best Approach to Block the Pain After Knee Surgery

McGill University

Status and phase: Unknown; Phase 3

Conditions: Pain, Postoperative

Treatments: Procedure: Fascia Iliaca Block; Procedure: Femoral Block (without stimulating catheter); Procedure: Femoral Block (with stimulating catheter)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT00294073

REC#02-030

GEN#05-002

Details and patient eligibility

About

The study aims to compare standard techniques used to control pain after knee surgery. The investigators hypothesize that the fascia iliaca block is faster, safer and as good as or better than the femoral block, with or without a stimulating catheter.

Full description

60 patients being treated for ACL repair or knee arthroplasties under regional anesthesia will be randomized to three groups: Fascia Iliaca Block (FIB), Femoral Block (FB) with stimulating catheter or FB without stimulating catheter. A catheter will be placed according to each technique, before the surgery. A bolus of local anesthetic will be given pre-surgery and at the end of the operation, in all groups. A continuous infusion will be started for 48 hours. All patients receive a standard analgesia cocktail and rescue medication.

Pain and level of activity, as well as side effects, will be evaluated.

Enrollment: 60 estimated patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients coming for ACL or knee prosthesis surgery
• Between 18-80 years old
• Consenting for spinal anesthesia

Exclusion criteria

• Major neurologic diseases
• Obesity with body mass index (BMI) > 30
• Infection at the punction sites (back and/or groin)
• Diabetes mellitus for longer than 5 years
• Coagulopathy

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Double Blind