Effects of adductor canal block on pain management compared with epidural analgesia for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty: A randomized controlled trial protocol

BACKGROUND: Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is known to be a painful orthopedic procedure and moderate to severe pain is common, especially immediately postoperatively and during active motion. The aim of the present study was to compare epidural analgesia (EA) and adductor canal block (ACB) techniques with regard to early period pain levels, need for additional opioids, and ambulation and functional scores in patients who had undergone primary TKA. METHODS: Approval for the study was granted by the Changji Branch of the First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University. Written informed consent will be obtained from all of the participants. Inclusion criteria included the following: planned unilateral TKA; spinal anesthesia; American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status classification score of I to III. Prospective assessment will be done for 100 patients who are scheduled for unilateral primary TKA surgery in our academic hospital by a single senior surgeon between August 2020 and December 2021. Patients were randomized to ACB treatment or EA treatment by a computer random number generator. The primary outcome was visual analog scale pain scores in the immediate postoperative period. Secondary outcomes included postoperative opioid use, length of hospital stay, activity level during physical therapy, and knee range of motion. Results were evaluated in a confidence interval of 95% and at a significance level of P < .05. CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesized that standard ACB would be as effective as EA for postoperative pain management following TKA. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study protocol was registered in Research Registry (researchregistry5775).