Adductor canal catheters vs. single shot blocks for total knee arthroscopy under spinal anesthesia with intrathecal morphine

 

Introduction

The management of post-operative pain in patients receiving total knee arthroscopy (TKA) is fundamental in the recovery of patients, contributing to early rehabilitation and patient satisfaction [1].  As a result, the use of regional anesthesia is widely employed in efforts to reduce opioid consumption while simultaneously providing adequate pain control. There is evidence that adductor canal blocks (ACB) are preferential over femoral nerve blocks given they are less likely to incur quadriceps muscle weakness, which can enhance early mobilization following surgery [2]. Furthermore, intrathecal morphine (ITM) has shown to be a safe and efficacious modality for analgesia following TKA [3]. This preliminary data aims to assess if indwelling peripheral nerve catheters benefits patients who receive adductor canal blocks for TKA under spinal anesthesia (SA) with and intrathecal morphine.