Adductor Canal Nerve Block to Improve Total Knee Arthroplasty Recovery

Abstract

Pre-operative peripheral nerve block (PNB) is an adjunct anesthesia technique used in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty to improve post-operative pain and speed overall recovery. Effective pain management and ability to ambulate post-operatively directly affects the patient’s pace of rehabilitation and recovery. Two types of peripheral nerve blocks, the standard femoral nerve block, and a more specific adductor canal block, have relative advantages and disadvantages. Research on the effectiveness of the adductor canal block for analgesia in patients who have received a total knee arthroplasty is limited. The purpose of this scholarly project is to study the efficacy of the adductor canal block (ACB) as compared with the femoral nerve block (FNB) for post-operative pain management in total knee arthroplasty. We have retrospectively reviewed 40 patients who each received a total knee arthroplasty by a single orthopedic surgeon during the study period from January 2014 to June 2015.