Comparing Postoperative Functional Recovery and Analgesic Efficacy of a Single Shot Sciatic Nerve Block Versus Posterior Capsule/Fat Pad Infiltration of Local Anesthetic for Total Knee Arthroplasty

Summary

Many methods of pain relief have been implemented in an attempt to provide safe and effective analgesia for patients following total knee arthroplasty. Numerous studies have demonstrated that nerve blocks can provide superior pain control and reduce side effects. There are two major nerves that provide sensation to the knee: the femoral nerve provides sensation to the front of the knee and sciatic nerve provides sensation to the back of the knee. Putting local anesthetic close to these nerves provides superior pain control. The literature has supported the use of femoral nerve block for analgesia as well as improved functional outcome after total knee arthroplasty. The purpose of this study is to see if the same is true for sciatic nerve block for the back of the knee. We also would like to study an alternative approach to make the back of the knee pain free. This involves injecting local anesthetic directly into this area at the end of your surgery.Patients will be randomized into 3 groups: sciatic block, posterior infiltration of local anesthetic and placebo.This study will help further define the role of sciatic nerve block as well as the alternative technique of local anesthetic infiltration in the perioperative analgesic regimen of total knee arthroplasty surgery, in an effort to develop a standardized perioperative protocol for this patient population. The advent of this protocol should allow reduced risk, improved analgesia, and potentially earlier discharged from hospital with better function.

Conditions

• Total Knee Arthroplasty
• Post Operative Analgesia

Interventions

PROCEDURE

Sciatic Nerve Block

Patients randomized to Group 1 will receive a single sciatic nerve block using the infragluteal parabiceps approach, using 20 ml of 0.5 % Ropivacaine. A sham injection of the posterior capsule and fat pad using 50 cc of normal saline will be conducted at the conclusion of the surgery.

PROCEDURE

Posterior capsule infiltration with local anesthetic

Patients randomized to Group 2 will receive a Sham sciatic nerve block using 20cc of normal saline as described above as well as extensive local anesthetic infiltration of the posterior capsule and fat pad with a solution of 50 ml of 0.2% ropivicaine.

PROCEDURE

Sham sciatic block and sham posterior infiltration

Patients randomized to group 3 will only receive a continuous femoral nerve catheter, A sham sciatic nerve block with 20cc of normal saline as well as a sham injection of the posterior capsule and fat pad will be performed with 50cc of normal saline.

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

  lead OTHER

Principal Investigators

• Ben Safa, MD, FRCPC · Staff Anesthesiologist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre.

Study Design

Allocation

RANDOMIZED

Purpose

TREATMENT

Masking

TRIPLE

Model

PARALLEL

Eligibility

Min Age

18 Years

Max Age

75 Years

Sex

ALL

Healthy Volunteers

No

Timeline & Regulatory

Start

2008-06-30

Primary Completion

2012-09-30

Completion

2012-11-30

Countries

• Canada

Study Locations