Popliteal Plexus Block for Postoperative Pain After ACL Reconstruction

University of Aarhus

Status: Completed

Conditions: Postoperative Pain; Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury

Treatments: Procedure: Popliteal plexus block

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT03130049

Protokol_PPB_ACL_21042017

Details and patient eligibility

About

The study aims to investigate the effect of the popliteal plexus block (PPB) on postoperative pain in patients undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction.

Full description

Postoperative pain following ACL reconstruction can be alleviated with an ultrasound-guided femoral triangle block (FTB). However, it is the investigators' observation that 10-20 % of the patients still complain of intense pain localized in the center of the knee.

Cadaver dissection studies have shown that an injection into the distal part of the adductor canal will spread to the popliteal fossa, and one dissection study showed consistent spread to the popliteal plexus.

The study team hypothesized that a PPB will reduce the postoperative pain, when it is used as a supplement to the FTB in patients undergoing ACL reconstruction.

Enrollment: 15 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18+ years old

Volunteers: No Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Patients undergoing ACL reconstruction on one of the two trial sites
• Age ≥ 18
• American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) status I-III
• Informed consent

Exclusion criteria

• Patients unable to cooperate
• Patients not able to speak Danish or with other communication problems
• Pregnancy
• Contraindication towards any medical product used in the study
• Preoperatively reduced sensation on the medial and lateral part of the lower leg
• Patients with diabetes requiring medical treatment
• Preoperative intake of opioids (dosed > once daily)
• ACL revision

Trial design

Primary purpose: Treatment

Allocation: Non-Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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15 participants in 2 patient groups

Patients with postoperative pain, NRS >3

Experimental group

Description:

Patients reporting postoperative pain (NRS \>3) localized to the center of the knee (10 patients) will receive a popliteal plexus block

Treatment:

Procedure: Popliteal plexus block

Patients with postoperative pain, NRS ≤ 3

No Intervention group

Description:

(approx. 90 patients)