Comparing Efficacy and Safety of Three Regional Anesthesia Regimens in Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty: A Double Blind Randomized Control Trial

Advances in pain management, regional anesthesia, and focused rehabilitation have increased the popularity of outpatient total hip and knee arthroplasty in a select group of eligible patients. However, one of the main impediments to same-day discharge is the prolonged motor block post-spinal anesthesia, as patients are routinely kept in the post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) until they demonstrate that the spinal anesthesia has worn off.

At The Ottawa Hospital, the standard treatment for people receiving anesthesia during a total arthroplasty is the use of the anaesthetic, Bupivacaine. Mepivacaine and Ropivacaine are alternative anaesthetics that are also in use at The Ottawa Hospital. They are growing in popularity as anaesthetics because they and allow quicker recovery time when compared to Bupivacaine. Bupivacaine results in a long-lasting sensory-motor block, meaning that in the area that the local anesthesia was used, there is no sensation and limited movement for long periods of time. During hip or knee replacement surgery, you may want to have no sensation and the inability to move your lower limbs. However, it is not ideal for after surgery where weakness in the legs puts a person at increased risk for falls. Therefore, hospitalization after surgery typically lasts for a longer duration. Mepivacaine and Ropivacaine have a shorter motor block duration, allowing for a potentially earlier hospital discharge.