Surgeon-placed peripheral nerve block and continuous non-opioid analgesia in total knee arthroplasty is accessible intraoperatively: A cadaveric study.

BACKGROUND

Pain management in TKA patients is challenged by a postoperative requirement for early ambulation along with the concurrent goal of reducing opioid consumption while simultaneously reducing the length of hospital stay. Peripheral nerve blocks (PNB) address these concerns to some degree, with femoral nerve and adductor canal blocks being the most-used regional nerve blocks for surgeries performed around the knee joint.

PURPOSE

The authors hypothesized that placing a catheter between the muscles that make up the adductor canal during a standard surgical approach for a Total Knee Arthroplasty would provide equitable or superior access for a peripheral nerve block in the adductor canal. The nerves that are located between the muscles that make up the adductor canal transmit the majority of the pain after TKA.

METHODS

This cadaveric study was conducted in 12 fresh-frozen human cadaveric lower limbs, comparing the standard technique of adductor canal block, placed under ultrasound guidance, to this experimental technique. Using colored indicator dyes to locate the site of surrogate peripheral nerves, the techniques were compared.

RESULTS

Through a standard anterior surgical approach to the knee, an intraoperative catheter placement technique can be performed to provide a peripheral nerve block to the saphenous nerve for patients undergoing TKA that is comparable to standard ultrasound guided anesthesia block techniques.

CONCLUSIONS

This cadaveric study demonstrates the availability for the surgeon to place a catheter between the muscles that form the adductor canal during a standard surgical approach for TKA. This novel technique can provide equivalent coverage of the nerves for an ACB when compared to a standard ultrasound guided ACB.