title: Bedside femoral block performed on the first postoperative day after unilateral total knee arthroplasty: a randomized study of 49 patients.
abstract: This randomized study compared the effectiveness of a femoral nerve block with other methods of pain control on the first postoperative day after total knee arthroplasty. The femoral block consisted of a single injection administered at patients' bedside during the surgeon's hospital rounds. Compared with control group patients, femoral block patients reported less pain on a visual analog scale and required one half the amount of oxycodone (P = .021). Additional femoral block or continued epidural analgesia was required more frequently by control group patients. Thus, pain management with femoral blocks resulted in less work for nursing staff (P = .004). Performing a femoral nerve block as needed during the surgeon's hospital rounds is quick and requires minimal additional time without any special equipment. Bedside femoral block is a useful adjunct to other pain control methods following primary total knee arthroplasty.
authors.affiliation: Department of Orthopedics, Lahti Central Hospital, Lahti, Finland.
authors.forename: Raimo Olavi
authors.initials: RO
authors.lastname: Niskanen
authors.forename: Niko
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Strandberg
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage; D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D002045:Bupivacaine / Q000008:administration & dosage; D005260:Female; D005267:Femoral Nerve; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D010098:Oxycodone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D010098:Oxycodone; D002045:Bupivacaine