Outcome of Patients After Total Knee Replacement: A Comparison of Femoral Nerve Block and Epidural Anesthesia

University of Rostock

Status: Completed

Conditions: Mortality; Function; Complications; Morbidity

Treatments: Device: Femoral catheter; Device: Epidural catheter

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT01631799

A 40 2008

Details and patient eligibility

About

Total knee replacement is very common in Germany. After surgery patients have severe pain in the knee; initiation of the physiotherapy, however, is important in the first three days after surgery. Continuous femoral blockade and continuous (lumbar) epidural analgesia are commonly used after surgery. Both methods are used in Germany. Both methods have advantages and disadvantages. We wanted to answer the question which method of analgesia - after total knee replacement - is better concerning complications and function (after 3 months) ?

Enrollment: 80 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 80 years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• age 18 -80 years
• ASA I-III
• Surgery: total knee replacement
• informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• obesity
• contraindication for epidural anesthesia
• coagulation disorders

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: Single Blind

---

80 participants in 2 patient groups

Femoral Block

Active Comparator group

Description:

One group received a femoral block for analgesia after surgery. Ropivacain was administered continuously for three days.

Treatment:

Device: Femoral catheter

Epidural Analgesia

Active Comparator group

Description:

One group received an epidural analgesia after surgery for three days.

Treatment:

Device: Epidural catheter