Improvement in Pain and Quality of Life After Ultrasound-Guided Saphenous Nerve Block in Patients With Knee Osteoarthritis

Introduction Osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee is a common complaint in the elderly population and results in considerable disability in advanced stages. Though many pharmacological, electrotherapeutic, and interventional options are available for the effective treatment of knee OA in the early stages, these modalities fail to provide effective and long-term relief in some cases where peripheral nerve blocks may prove beneficial. Hence, this study was conducted to assess the efficacy of the saphenous nerve block in knee pain due to OA. Objective To evaluate improvement in pain and quality of life after ultrasound-guided saphenous nerve block in patients with knee OA. Material and methods An interventional prospective study in patients with knee OA, with medial compartment knee pain, was conducted from March 2016 to March 2017. All patients were evaluated prior to the procedure, and then at one week, one month, three months, and six months. The pain was evaluated using the visual analog scale (VAS) and functional improvement using the Knee injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS). Results Forty patients with unilateral knee OA underwent saphenous nerve block. Fifty percent of the patients reported pain relief within one week, whereas 58%, 33%, and 23% exhibited relief at subsequent follow-ups at one, three, and six months. A statistically significant difference (p < 0.0001) was observed in pain (VAS and KOOS pain) and functional scales (KOOS symptom, quality of life (QOL), and activities of daily living (ADL)) at follow-up evaluations. Conclusion Ultrasound-guided saphenous nerve block results in a significant improvement in pain and QOL in patients with knee OA.