Sciatic nerve block or not for outpatient total knee arthroplasty? Study protocol for a randomized controlled trial

An Analysis of the Use of Anesthetic Blocks versus Local Anesthesia Infiltration in Primary Total Knee Arthroplasty Surgery

Objectives: The aim of this study is to analyse the efficacy of using a combined infiltration between a popliteal artery and knee cap (IPACK) anaesthetic block and a selective saphenous nerve block compared to local infiltration with anaesthetic in knee replacement surgery. Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted. A total of 312 patients who underwent primary total knee arthroplasty in our hospital between January 2019 and December 2022 were reviewed. Local intra-articular anaesthesia was used in 207 patients and combined nerve block in 105 patients (IPACK group). The mean age in the LIA group was 72.9 years and 70.4 years in the IPACK group. There were 44% men in the LIA group and 53.3% in the IPACK group. The primary outcome was the presence of poorly controlled pain requiring rescue opioid analgesia in the postoperative period. Secondary outcomes included pain scores, range of motion and length of hospital stay. Results: There were no significant differences in the age or gender distribution of patients between the two groups. One patient treated with anaesthetic blocks required rescue analgesia with opioids, while in the LIA group this occurred in 28.5% of cases. There were statistically significant higher VAS scores in the LIA group (p < 0.001). Range of motion was slightly greater in the block group (4.6°, p < 0.05). There were significant differences in hospital stay (2.4 days in the blocks group and 2.8 days in the LIA group (p < 0.05). Conclusions: In our series, patients treated with anaesthetic blocks showed better results with similar postoperative pain control. However, further studies are needed.

Outpatient shoulder prostheses: Feasibility, acceptance and safety

INTRODUCTION

Outpatient surgery in France is defined by the national authority for health (HAS) as a scheduled surgery enabling same-day discharge without any increased risk to the patient. With the advent of enhanced recovery after surgery, outpatient lower limb arthroplasty has become a common procedure. However, only 1.1% of knee arthroplasties in France were performed on an outpatient basis in 2017.

OBJECTIVES

1) assess early morbidity and mortality after outpatient shoulder arthroplasties to validate eligibility and safety criteria; and 2) assess patient acceptance of outpatient surgery.

METHODS

A single-center study with the following inclusion criteria: primary shoulder arthroplasty, American Society of Anesthesiology (ASA) score I or II, no cognitive impairment, and no coronary artery or thromboembolic diseases. Analgesia was provided by bupivacaine via a peripheral nerve catheter in the first 72 hours followed by oral analgesics. Patients were discharged if the post-anesthetic discharge scoring system (PADSS) was>9/10 and the visual analog scale (VAS) was<5/10. Postoperative telephone interviews were carried out on D1, D2 and D3 to assess pain with the numerical rating scale and to collect data on their analgesic consumption. All patients were seen by an independent observer at one and six months for a clinical and radiologic follow-up and at 90 days during a consultation with the senior surgeon. The primary endpoint was the 90-day morbidity and mortality rate (readmissions, rehospitalizations, and minor and major complications). A satisfaction questionnaire was collected at one and six months.

RESULTS

Thirty-six patients were offered an outpatient shoulder arthroplasty between February 2016 and February 2018: 12 (33%) refused with no valid reasons and 24 patients agreed to the procedure (seven hemiarthroplasties, nine anatomic shoulder arthroplasties and eight reverse shoulder arthroplasties). The mean age at surgery was 70 years (55-82), mean body mass index (BMI) was 26 (21-32) and 14 patients were ASA II (66%). Three patients (12%) refused same-day discharge despite a PADSS score>9/10 and adequate pain management. Two patients (8%) were not discharged home on the same day as the surgery for medical reasons (one for pain and one for high blood pressure). No readmissions or complications were reported for the 19 outpatient arthroplasties. None of the outpatients used opioids. All patients were satisfied with their functional outcome, 84% were satisfied with the outpatient management and 17% felt they were insufficiently monitored and regretted that they were not hospitalized.

CONCLUSIONS

1) outpatient shoulder arthroplasty can be safely proposed to selected patients with low comorbidities, regardless of their age and type of implant; 2) the acceptance rate for outpatient shoulder arthroplasty remained low among our patient population. These results should incite us to better educate patients about outpatient surgery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV; retrospective study.