TIPS Block vs Dual Subsartorial Block for Total Knee Arthrolplasty: Double Blinded Randomized Controlled Study

Introduction: Maximum pain control with regional analgesic techniques after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is crucial for early rehabilitation after surgery. The ideal regional anesthetic technique should cover all the essential innervations of the knee joint involved in each surgical step without causing motor blockade.

The investigators hypothesize that local anesthetic injection superior to the sartorius at the level of the femoral triangle may block the intermediate femoral cutaneous nerve (IFCN) which is responsible for the innervation of the anterior thigh and the proximal part of the parapatellar incision used for TKA and provide superior analgesia when added to dual subsartorial blockade in cases of TKA.

Patients will be divided into 2 groups. Group TIPS; patients will receive double level subsartorial block and suprasartorial LA injection at the level of the distal FT after induction of general anesthesia (GA). Group Dual; patients will receive double level subsartorial canal block after induction of GA.

Upon arrival to the operating room (OR), a multichannel monitor will be attached to patients, followed by the administration of 2 mg midazolam IV after securing an IV cannula. Induction of anesthesia will be carried out with 2 mic/kg fentanyl, 2 mg/kg propofol and 25 mg atracurium followed by insertion of a proper size laryngeal mask airway (LMA). Patients will be randomly allocated into 2 groups by a computer generated program.

Group Dual: Patients will receive a combination of femoral triangle block and distal ACB. Femoral triangle block will be given just 1-2 cm proximal to the apex of the femoral tringle which is the point at which the medial border of the sartorius muscle (STM) meets the medial border of the adductor longus muscle (ALM). Ten ml of 0.25 % bupivacaine mixed with 2 mg dexamethasone will be injected just below the STM. Another 20 ml of 0.25 % bupivacaine mixed with 2 mg dexamethasone will be injected in the lower one-third of the adductor canal. At this level, femoral vessels dip into the opening of the adductor hiatus to become popliteal vessels. Sonoanatomy of this region shows the adductor magnus muscle (AMM) posteromedially, vastus medialis muscle (VMM) anterolaterally, and the STM medially.