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Genicular and Anterior Femoral Cutaneous Nerve Blocks for Total Knee Arthroplasty

Phase 4
Recruiting
Conditions
Genicular Nerve Block
Opioid Use
Total Knee Replacement
Interventions
Registration Number
NCT05980546
Lead Sponsor
Hospital for Special Surgery, New York
Brief Summary

The goal of this randomized controlled trial is to examine if there is a relationship between the addition of the genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block in providing analgesia and the use of oral and intravenous medication in patients undergoing a total knee arthroplasty. The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does incorporating genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block to our current standard of care reduce patients' total opioid consumption in the first 24 hours after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery?

2. Does incorporating genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block to our current standard of care reduce patients' worst numeric rating scale (NRS) pain score in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)?

3. Does incorporating genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block to our current standard of care result in earlier discharge from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)?

4. Does incorporating genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block to our current standard of care reduce patients' total opioid consumption in the first 7 days after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery?

5. Does incorporating genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block to our current standard of care reduce patients' numerical rating scale (NRS) pain (both at rest and during movement) in the first 24 and 48 hours after surgery?

Participants will be randomly assigned to receive the genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block in addition to standard of care (intervention group), or not receive the nerve blocks (control group).

Comparing the intervention group to the control group, the researcher's primary outcomes are numerical pain in the post-anesthesia care unit and cumulative opioid consumption during the first 24 hours.

Detailed Description

Adductor canal nerve block (ACB), infiltration between the popliteal artery and the posterior knee capsule (IPACK), with or without peri-articular infiltration of local anesthetics (PAI), is the current standard of practice for analgesia coverage after total knee arthroplasty at the Hospital for Special Surgery. However, we frequently see patients with moderate post-operative knee pain, particularly on the anterior, middle, and lateral sides of the knee. There is limited clinical research on if adding a genicular nerve block could offer TKA patients a more complete analgesia. This study will test if the addition of genicular nerve block (including superolateral genicular nerve, superomedial genicular nerve, inferomedial genicular nerve, and nerve to vastus intermedius) and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block could offer TKA patients a more complete analgesia. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive the genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block in addition to standard of care (intervention group), or not receive the nerve blocks (control group).

The main questions it aims to answer are:

1. Does incorporating genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block to our current standard of care reduce patients' total opioid consumption in the first 24 hours after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery?

2. Does incorporating genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block to our current standard of care reduce patients' worst numeric rating scale (NRS) pain score in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)?

3. Does incorporating genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block to our current standard of care result in earlier discharge from the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU)?

4. Does incorporating genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block to our current standard of care reduce patients' total opioid consumption in the first 7 days after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) surgery?

5. Does incorporating genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block to our current standard of care reduce patients' numerical rating scale (NRS) pain (both at rest and during movement) in the first 24 and 48 hours after surgery?

Participants will be randomly assigned to receive the genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block in addition to standard of care (intervention group), or not receive the nerve blocks (control group).

Comparing the intervention group to the control group, the researcher's primary outcomes are numerical pain in the post-anesthesia care unit and cumulative opioid consumption during the first 24 hours.

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status
RECRUITING
Sex
All
Target Recruitment
244
Inclusion Criteria
  • patients age 18-80
  • patients undergoing ambulatory unilateral total knee arthroplasty, including 23 hour stay cohort
  • ASA I-III
  • BMI < 35
Exclusion Criteria
  • history of chronic pain syndromes
  • chronic opioid use (daily morphine milligram equivalents > 30 mg for at least 3 months)
  • contraindication to peripheral nerve blocks
  • contraindication to neuraxial anesthesia
  • history of peripheral neuropathy or pre-existing neurological deficits
  • Psychiatrics or cognitive disorder that prohibit patient from following study protocol
  • allergy to local anesthetic or study medications
  • multiligament surgery
  • history of substance abuse
  • infection at the site of injection
  • chronic kidney disease
  • currently taking anticonvulsants

Study & Design

Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Study Design
PARALLEL
Arm && Interventions
GroupInterventionDescription
Group 2 Genicular TKABupivacaine InjectionThe genicular group will receive the study intervention of a genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block. The intervention group (genicular nerve block/anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block) will receive additional nerve blocks totaling 30 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with 4 mg preservative-free dexamethasone (5 ml for each block: SMGN, IMGN, SLGN, NVI; 10ml for AFCN). The genicular group will be given 2-5 mg of intravenous midazolam and up to 100 mcg fentanyl for sedation and analgesia while the peripheral nerve blocks and spinal anesthesia are being performed. All patients will receive a spinal anesthetic (1.5% mepivacaine 52.5 - 60mg) and the standard adductor canal block and infiltration between the popliteal artery and posterior knee capsule block (20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with 2 mg preservative free dexamethasone for each block).
Group 2 Genicular TKADexamethasone injectionThe genicular group will receive the study intervention of a genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block. The intervention group (genicular nerve block/anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block) will receive additional nerve blocks totaling 30 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with 4 mg preservative-free dexamethasone (5 ml for each block: SMGN, IMGN, SLGN, NVI; 10ml for AFCN). The genicular group will be given 2-5 mg of intravenous midazolam and up to 100 mcg fentanyl for sedation and analgesia while the peripheral nerve blocks and spinal anesthesia are being performed. All patients will receive a spinal anesthetic (1.5% mepivacaine 52.5 - 60mg) and the standard adductor canal block and infiltration between the popliteal artery and posterior knee capsule block (20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with 2 mg preservative free dexamethasone for each block).
Group 2 Genicular TKAFentanylThe genicular group will receive the study intervention of a genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block. The intervention group (genicular nerve block/anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block) will receive additional nerve blocks totaling 30 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with 4 mg preservative-free dexamethasone (5 ml for each block: SMGN, IMGN, SLGN, NVI; 10ml for AFCN). The genicular group will be given 2-5 mg of intravenous midazolam and up to 100 mcg fentanyl for sedation and analgesia while the peripheral nerve blocks and spinal anesthesia are being performed. All patients will receive a spinal anesthetic (1.5% mepivacaine 52.5 - 60mg) and the standard adductor canal block and infiltration between the popliteal artery and posterior knee capsule block (20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with 2 mg preservative free dexamethasone for each block).
Group 2 Genicular TKAMepivacaineThe genicular group will receive the study intervention of a genicular nerve block and anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block. The intervention group (genicular nerve block/anterior femoral cutaneous nerve block) will receive additional nerve blocks totaling 30 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with 4 mg preservative-free dexamethasone (5 ml for each block: SMGN, IMGN, SLGN, NVI; 10ml for AFCN). The genicular group will be given 2-5 mg of intravenous midazolam and up to 100 mcg fentanyl for sedation and analgesia while the peripheral nerve blocks and spinal anesthesia are being performed. All patients will receive a spinal anesthetic (1.5% mepivacaine 52.5 - 60mg) and the standard adductor canal block and infiltration between the popliteal artery and posterior knee capsule block (20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine with 2 mg preservative free dexamethasone for each block).
Primary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Cumulative opioid consumption24 hours after surgery end

The cumulative opioid consumption measured in oral morphine equivalent (OME).

Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain scorein the post-operative care unit (PACU) up to 24 hours after surgery end

The numeric rating scale (NRS) is a pain screening tool used to assess pain severity at that moment in time using a 0-10 scale, with zero meaning "no pain" and 10 meaning "the worst pain imaginable".

Secondary Outcome Measures
NameTimeMethod
Bang Blinding Indexat 7 days after surgery

To assess the success of patient and research staff blinding using the bang blinding index.

The Bang Blinding Index is calculated per treatment arm, is a continuous value such that -1 \<= Bang BI \<= 1. If the index is 1, all responses are correct, and complete unblinding is inferred.

Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) pain scoreat post operative day 1 and post operative day 2

The numeric rating scale (NRS) is a pain screening tool used to assess pain severity at that moment in time using a 0-10 scale, with zero meaning "no pain" and 10 meaning "the worst pain imaginable".

Although measured at different time points the average score at each time point is reported among all participants.

Participant satisfaction with pain treatmentin the post-operative care unit (PACU), up to 24 hours after surgery end and at 7 days after the day of surgery

To assess patients' satisfaction with their pain management. Measured on a scale from 0 to 10, with 0 = strongly dissatisfied and 10 = strongly satisfied.

Although measured at different time points the average score at each time point is reported among all participants.

Cumulative opioid consumptionat post operative day 1, 2, & 7

The cumulative opioid consumption measured in oral morphine equivalent (OME).

Readiness for home dischargefrom induction end (time zero) to readiness for discharge time, up to 7 days

From time zero, the time when the patient is ready for discharge. Time zero corresponds to the time when anesthesia induction is complete (induction end). A subgroup analysis for this outcome is planned, with 1) a primary analysis of all patients discharged on the day of surgery and 2) a secondary analysis of all patients discharged 23 hours after time zero or whose status was changed to inpatient.

Brief Pain Inventory (short form)in the post-operative care unit (PACU), up to 24 hours after surgery end and at 7 days after the day of surgery

The Brief Pain Inventory - Short Form (BPI-sf) is a 9 item self-administered questionnaire used to evaluate the severity of a patient's pain and the impact of this pain on the patient's daily functioning. Measured on a scale from 0 to 10.

Scoring:

1 - 4 = Mild Pain 5 - 6 = Moderate Pain 7 - 10 = Severe Pain

Although measured at different time points the average score at each time point is reported among all participants.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Hospital for Special Surgery

🇺🇸

New York, New York, United States

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