Experiences with an intra-articular pain catheter in approx. 3.000 TKR over a period of 6.5 years

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES: The optimal pain treatment after a TKR has been under discussion for a long time. With the use of pain catheters you can save analgesics and opiates. A femoral and sciatic nerve catheter became already established. Disadvantages are a the time-consuming application of the catheter with neuro-tracer or ultrasound as well as facing possible palsy, especially of the extension muscle of the knee, which disturbs the autonomous mobility of the patients. Would it be possible to treat the postoperative pain sufficiently and preserve the active mobility of the patients by using an intraarticular pain catheter, that will not influence the muscle power, which can also be used time-sparing during TKR surgeries in combination with an external, continuous local anesthesia from a portable valve-controlled reservoir? MATERIALS AND METHODS: We report on case series of our clinic from July 2010 till October 2017, which included more than 3.000 TKRs. We made use of 4 different catheter and pump systems (for example the Painbuster). The LA used was Ropivacaine. RESULTS: With a postoperative rate of fluid flow of 10-15 ml/h in a concentration of 3,75 mg/ml (0,375%) Ropivacaine Hydrochloride over a period of 2-3 days, we achieved a good pain reduction comparable to a femoral catheter and perfusor application of 2,0 mg/ml (0,2%) Ropivacaine. CONCLUSION: Most patients feel strong pain following a TKR due to the special vulnerability of the knee joints with large inner surface of the joint and thin soft-tissue coverage. The established pain catheters positioned beside the femoral nerve need a relative long turnover time (the time from the end of the previous surgical procedure to the beginning of the next) and have an important disadvantage of palsy of the quadriceps muscle with the risk of falling due to the immobilization of the patient. The intra-articular painbuster systems lead to excellent pain reduction and fast mobilization of the patient with full control of muscle power. The application of the catheter during the operation is not time consuming and you will not face longer turnover and surgery times.