Effect of patient-controlled perineural analgesia on rehabilitation and pain after ambulatory orthopedic surgery: a multicenter randomized trial.
BACKGROUND
Efficacy of continuous perineural and patient-controlled ropivacaine infusion at home after orthopedic surgery was compared with patient-controlled intravenous morphine for functional recovery and postoperative analgesia in a multicenter randomized trial.


METHODS
Eighty-three patients scheduled to undergo acromioplasty or hallux valgus surgery received an interscalene (n = 40) or popliteal (n = 43) peripheral nerve block with 30 ml ropivacaine, 0.5%. After randomization, patients were discharged home 24 h after surgery with a disposable infusion pump delivering either patient-controlled intravenous morphine (n = 23) or perineural 0.2% ropivacaine infusion, either continuous infusion without bolus (n = 30) or basal infusion plus bolus (n = 30). The patients recorded pain scores on movement and/or walking and were directed to take paracetamol and rescue analgesics if necessary. The time necessary to be able to walk for 10 min; daily activities on days 1, 2, and 3; adverse events; and overall satisfaction scores were noted and graded by the patient.


RESULTS
Basal-bolus ropivacaine decreased the time to 10 minutes' walk, optimized daily activities (P < 0.01), and decreased the amount of ropivacaine used. The morphine group had greater pain scores and consumption of morphine and ketoprofen compared with both ropivacaine groups (P < 0.05). The incidence of nausea/vomiting, sleep disturbance, and dizziness increased, and the patient satisfaction score decreased in the morphine group (P < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
After ambulatory orthopedic surgery, 0.2% ropivacaine delivered as a perineural infusion using a disposable elastomeric pump with patient-controlled anesthesia bolus doses optimizes functional recovery and pain relief while decreasing the consumption of rescue analgesics and ropivacaine, and the number of adverse events.
Capdevila
Xavier
X
Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care Medicine, Lapeyronie University Hospital, France. x-capdevila@chu-montpellier.fr
Dadure
Christophe
C
Bringuier
Sophie
S
Bernard
Nathalie
N
Biboulet
Philippe
P
Gaertner
Elisabeth
E
Macaire
Philippe
P
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019637:Orthopedic Procedures / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*