title: [Effect of continuous femoral nerve catheter length on blockade of femoral nerve, lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and obturator nerve].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effects of length of continuous femoral catheter on blockade of femoral nerve, lateral femoral cutaneous nerve and obturator  nerve.
  
  
  METHODS
  In the study, 70 patients with American Association of Anesthesiologist grades I-II undergoing total knee arthroplasty were randomly  divided into three groups, femoral nerve catheters were inserted 5 cm, 10 cm or 20 cm with assistance of a nerve stimulator, patient-controlled analgesia  pumps were connected after load of 30 mL 0.3% ropivacaine via the catheters. Sensory blockade of the femoral nerve, lateral femoral cutaneous nerve  and obturator nerve were recorded at 24 h postoperatively. Visual analog scale (VAS) pain scores during rest and motion were recorded at 24 h and 48 h  postoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The blockade effect of lateral femoral nerve in the 20 cm group was the best. There was no significant difference in sensory  blockade between the 5 cm group and the 10 cm group. There was no significant difference in VAS score among the three groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  When  continuous femoral nerve block is used for postoperative analgesia after total knee arthroplasty surgery, the catheters that are inserted 5 cm, 10 cm or 20  cm could provide similar and satisfying analgesia effect.
authors: Department of Anesthesiology, Beijing Jishuitan Hospital, Beijing, China.
authors: Feng
authors: F
authors: Zhu
authors: Yan
authors: Y
authors: Hu
authors: Wei
authors: W
authors: Zhang
mesh_terms: D019645:Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee; D002404:Catheterization / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D005267:Femoral Nerve / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods*; D009776:Obturator Nerve / Q000502:physiology