Abstract. Introduction. Spinal local anaesthesia and opioids have long been used as peri-operative analgesia for patients undergoing arthroplasty procedures. However, intrathecal opioids are associated with numerous complications. ERAS. ®. society guidelines for elective knee replacement (2019) strongly discourage the use of spinal opioids. This study aims to report the impact of low-dose spinal and local infiltrative analgesia on patients undergoing elective knee replacement. Methodology. Retrospective cohort study of patients undergoing knee replacement under the ERAS protocol over 2 years, at a district general hospital under the care of a single surgeon. Results. A total of 80 knee replacements were included in the study (M38:F42, mean age=72.7, mean BMI=31, ASA: 1=8, 2=54, 3=18). 91% received neuroaxial anaesthesia, 89% without intrathecal opioids. Local infiltrative analgesia was used in 99% of patients. The mean length of stay was significantly shorter (2 days), when compared to patients undergoing elective knee replacements without adherence to ERAS. ®. guidance (3.8 days), P<0.001. The average maximum pain score in PACU was 0.8 (0=no pain, 10=maximum pain). All patients were mobilised within 24 hours of surgery. No patients were readmitted within 30 days. 2 patients returned to theatre (retained surgical clip and MUA for stiffness). Conclusions. The implementation of ERAS. ®. guidelines has demonstrated significantly reduced admission days following elective knee arthroplasty. Combined with low complication rates, the reduction in admission days may result in increased hospital bed availability. This has the potential to positively impact elective arthroplasty waiting lists. Further research is underway to evaluate patient-reported outcome measures in this group

Aims. Spinal anaesthesia has seen increased use in contemporary primary total knee arthroplasties (TKAs). However, controversy exists about the benefits of spinal in comparison to general anaesthesia in primary TKAs. This study aimed to investigate the pain control, length of stay (LOS), and complications associated with spinal versus general anaesthesia in primary TKAs from a single, high-volume academic centre. Methods. We retrospectively identified 17,690 primary TKAs (13,297 patients) from 2001 to 2016 using our institutional total joint registry, where 52% had general anaesthesia and 48% had spinal anaesthesia. Baseline characteristics were similar between cohorts with a mean age of 68 years (SD 10), 58% female (n = 7,669), and mean BMI of 32 kg/m. 2. (SD 7). Pain was evaluated using oral morphine equivalents (OMEs) and numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) data. Complications including 30- and 90-day readmissions were studied. Data were analyzed using an inverse probability of treatment weighted model based on propensity score that included many patient and surgical factors. Mean follow-up was seven years (2 to 18). Results. Patients treated with spinal anaesthesia required fewer postoperative OMEs (p < 0.001) and had lower NPRS scores (p < 0.001). Spinal anaesthesia also had fewer cases of altered mental status (AMS; odds ratio (OR) 1.3; p = 0.044), as well as 30-day (OR 1.4; p < 0.001) and 90-day readmissions (OR 1.5; p < 0.001). General anaesthesia was associated with increased risk of any revision (OR 1.2; p = 0.021) and any reoperation (1.3; p < 0.001). Conclusion. In the largest single institutional report to date, we found that spinal anaesthesia was associated with significantly lower OME use, lower risk of AMS, and lower overall 30- and 90-day readmissions following primary TKAs. Additionally, spinal anaesthesia was associated with reduced risk of any revision and any reoperation after accounting for numerous patient and operative factors. When possible and safe, spinal anaesthesia should be considered in primary TKAs. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2022;104-B(11):1209–1214

Introduction. We designed this study to compare 30-day complications and length of hospital stay between patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with general anesthesia, to those undergoing TKA with spinal, epidural anesthesia, or Monitored Anesthesia Care (MAC, a combination of local anesthesia with sedation and analgesia provided by an anesthesiologist) with or without regional nerve blocks. Methods. We identified patients ≥18 years undergoing TKA between the years of 2006 and 2017 from the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program (NSQIP). We collected patient demographics, anesthesia type, 30-day complications, length of operation and hospital stay from the database. We used multivariable regression to compare complications and length of stay (LOS) between anesthesia types, while adjusting for relevant covariables. Results. We identified 265,325 TKA patients. Of these, 91 (0.03%) underwent epidural anesthesia with a nerve block, while 1,855 (0.70%) underwent epidural anesthesia with no block, 12,800 (4.82%) underwent MAC with a block, 25,643 (9.66%) underwent MAC with no block, 13,575 (5.12%) underwent spinal anesthesia with a block, 80,803 (30.45%) underwent spinal anesthesia with no block, and 130,558 (49.21%) underwent general anesthesia. The rate of complications was not associated with the presence of a block, while the unadjusted LOS was significantly lower with the use of a block in patients treated with spinal anesthesia (2.54±2.07 vs. 2.84±2.25), epidural anesthesia (2.87±1.81 vs. 3.88± 4.67), and MAC (2.51±2.14 vs. 2.68±2.11), p<0.0001. The unadjusted rate of major complications was significantly lower in patients who underwent spinal anesthesia (2.10%), and MAC (1.91%) compared to general anesthesia (2.31%), p<0.0001. Similarly, the unadjusted rate of minor complications was significantly lower for patients treated with spinal anesthesia(1.86%) and MAC (1.78%) compared to general anesthesia (2.11%), p<0.0001. The unadjusted LOS was significantly longer in patients treated with epidural (3.83±4.58), compared to general (2.94±3.64) anesthesia, p<0.0001. In contrast, the unadjusted LOS was significantly lower for patients treated with spinal anesthesia (2.80±2.23), and MAC (2.62±2.12) compared to general anesthesia, p<0.0001. Following covariable adjustment, spinal anesthesia and MAC were associated with a 0.93 (0.87–0.98), and 0.84 (0.78–0.91), odds of major complications compared to general anesthesia. Similarly, spinal anesthesia and MAC were associated with a 0.92 (0.87–0.98) and 0.89 (0.82–0.97) odds of minor complications compared to general anesthesia. Following covariable adjustment, epidural anesthesia increased the LOS by 0.25 (0.27–0.28) days compared to general, while spinal anesthesia and MAC decreased the LOS by 0.04 (95%CI 0.05–0.04), and 0.10 (0.11–0.09) days, compared to general. In patients treated with spinal anesthesia, epidural anesthesia, and MAC, the use of a block was independently associated with a decreased LOS by 0.10 (0.12–0.90), 0.24 (0.39–0.09), and 0.07 (0.08–0.05). Conclusion. Patients who undergo TKA with spinal anesthetic, and MAC appear to have superior outcomes compared to those who undergo TKA with general anesthesia. In addition, the use of a regional nerve block appears to be independently associated with a shorter LOS in patients who undergo TKA with neuraxial (spinal and epidural) anesthetic, and MAC. For figures, tables, or references, please contact authors directly

Abstract. Introduction. To compare the efficacy of adductor canal blocks (ACB) and periarticular anesthetic injections (PAI) with bupivacaine in total knee arthroplasty. Methods. 90 patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty under spinal anesthesia were randomized to 1 of 3 groups: ACB alone (15 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine), PAI alone (50 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine) and ACB + PAI. Primary outcome in this study was the visual analog scale (VAS) pain score in the immediate postoperative period. Secondary outcomes included postoperative opioid use, activity level during physiotheraphy, length of hospital stay and ROM. Results. Mean VAS pain score was significantly higher with ACB alone, compared with the score after use of ACB+PAI, on POD1 and POD3. Total opioid consumption through POD3 was significantly higher when ACB alone had been used compared with PAI alone and ACB+PAI. Opioid consumption in the ACB-alone group was significantly higher than that in the ACB + PAI group on POD2 and POD3 and significantly higher than that in the PAI alone group on POD2. There was no significant difference in opioid consumption between the patients treated with PAI alone and those who received ACB + PAI. The activity level during physiotherapy on POD0 was significantly lower after use of ACB alone than after use of PAI alone or ACB + PAI. Conclusion. Higher pain scores after total knee arthroplasty done with an ACB and without PAI, suggesting that ACB alone is inferior for perioperative pain control. There were no significant differences between ACB alone, PAI alone and ACB + PAI inparameters measured

Aims. Multimodal infiltration of local anaesthetic provides effective control of pain in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). There is little information about the added benefits of posterior capsular infiltration (PCI) using different combinations of local anaesthetic agents. Our aim was to investigate the effectiveness of the control of pain using multimodal infiltration with and without infiltration of the posterior capsule of the knee. Patients and Methods. In a double-blind, randomised controlled trial of patients scheduled for unilateral primary TKA, 86 were assigned to be treated with multimodal infiltration with (Group I) or without (Group II) PCI. Routine associated analgesia included the use of bupivacaine, morphine, ketorolac and epinephrine. All patients had spinal anaesthesia and patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) post-operatively. A visual analogue scale (VAS) for pain and the use of morphine were recorded 24 hours post-operatively. Side effects of the infiltration, blood loss, and length of stay in hospital were recorded. Results. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in relation to: VAS pain scores in the first 24 hours post-operatively (p = 0.693), the use of morphine in the PCA (p = 0.647), blood loss (p = 0.625), and length of stay (p = 0.17). There were no neurovascular complications in either group. Conclusion. The multimodal infiltration of local anaesthetic with infiltration of the posterior capsule did not provide significant added analgesic benefits or reduce the use of morphine after TKA. Multimodal infiltration is a satisfactory technique for the management of pain in these patients without the attendant risks of PCI. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2017; 99-B:483–8

Aims. This non-blinded randomised controlled trial compared the effect of patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) versus local infiltration analgesia (LIA) within an established enhanced recovery programme on the attainment of discharge criteria and recovery one year after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The hypothesis was that LIA would increase the proportion of patients discharged from rehabilitation by the fourth post-operative day but would not affect outcomes at one year. Patients and Methods. A total of 242 patients were randomised; 20 were excluded due to failure of spinal anaesthesia leaving 109 patients in the PCEA group and 113 in the LIA group. Patients were reviewed at six weeks and one year post-operatively. Results. There was no difference in the proportion of patients discharged from rehabilitation by the fourth post-operative day, (77% in the PCEA group, 82% in the LIA group, p = 0.33), mean length of stay (four days in each group, p = 0.540), day of first mobilisation (p = 0.013) or pain (p = 0.278). There was no difference in mean Oxford Knee Scores (41 points in each group, p = 0.915) or the rate of complications in the two groups. Conclusion. Both techniques provided adequate pain relief, enabled early mobilisation and accelerated rehabilitation and good patient-reported outcomes up to one year post-operatively. PCEA and LIA are associated with similar clinical outcomes following TKA. Cite this article: Bone Joint J 2016;98-B1189–96

Introduction. Controlling post-operative pain and reducing opioid requirements after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) remains a challenge, particularly in an era stressing rapid recovery protocols and early discharge. A single shot adductor canal block (ACB) has been shown to be effective in decreasing post-operative pain. This requires a specialty-trained Anesthesiologist skilled in ultrasound techniques, which imposes cost, time and skill barriers. Cadaveric studies and magnetic resonance imaging data have shown that access to the adductor canal is possible from within the joint, and thus the potential for intraoperative, intra-articular, surgeon administered ACB through a standard surgical approach is a feasible alternative to ultrasound guided ACB at the time of TKA. The purpose of the present study is to compare the efficacy of surgeon administered intraoperative ACB to anesthesiologist administered ACB. Methods. Patients' undergoing primary TKA were prospectively randomized to receive either an Anesthesiologist administered (Group 1) or Surgeon administered (Group 2) ACB using 15 ml of Ropivacaine 0.5%, both in conjunction with spinal anesthesia. Perioperative multimodal anesthesia was standardized for the two groups. Primary outcomes were pain visual analogue scale (VAS), range of motion, and opioid consumption. Secondary outcomes were patient satisfaction scores and length of stay (LOS). Results. 51 patients were enrolled and followed for a minimum of 6 weeks. 28 were randomized to Group 1 and 23 to Group 2. Opioid equivalents consumed were equal on POD 0,1, and 2 (p=0.86, 0.68, 0.47). Patients in Group 1 had significantly less pain on POD 0 [46.9 vs 61.8] (p=0.014), but there was no difference in pain on POD 1 or 2 (p=0.4, p=0.95). There was no difference in active flexion on post-operative day (POD) 0, POD 1 or 6 weeks post op (p=0.86, 0.074 and 0.59) and no difference in active extension on POD 0, 1, or 6 weeks (p=0.38,0.07and p=0.3). There was no difference in patient satisfaction with pain control on POD 0, 1, or 2 (p=0.6, p=0.7, p=0.9). There was no difference in LOS (1.3 vs 1.4 days p=0.34). Conclusion. Surgeon administered ACB is not inferior to Anesthesiologist administered ACB with respect to range of motion, patient satisfaction, or opioid consumption, although pain on the day of surgery may be greater. Surgeon administered ACB is an effective and cost- and time- efficient alternative to Anesthesiologist administered ACB. For figures, tables, or references, please contact authors directly

Free radicals, such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) which are released abruptly after deflation of an ischaemic tourniquet, cause reperfusion injuries. Ischaemic precondition (IPC), however, can reduce the injury. In clinical practice, the sequential application and release of tourniquets is often used in bilateral total knee replacement (TKR) to obtain a clearer operative field, but the effects on the production of free radicals and lipid peroxidation have not been studied. In this study, we have observed the production of free radicals and the subsequent lipid peroxidation in bilateral TKR with sequential application of a tourniquet to examine the effect of IPC. Patients undergoing elective TKR under intrathecal anaesthesia were studied. Blood samples were obtained after spinal anaesthesia, one minute before and five and 20 minutes after release of each tourniquet. We used the lucigenin chemiluminescence analysis and the phosphatidylcholine hydroperoxide (PCOOH) assay to measure the production of ROS and lipid peroxidation. Our results showed that production of ROS significantly increased at five and 20 minutes after release of the first tourniquet and at five minutes after release of the second tourniquet, but returned to normal at 20 minutes after the second reperfusion. The peak production of ROS was at 20 minutes after the first reperfusion; lipid peroxidation did not change significantly. We conclude that in spite of significant production of ROS after the release of tourniquet, the IPC phenomenon occurs during bilateral TKR with sequential application of a tourniquet

Aims

Medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (mUKA) is an advised treatment for anteromedial knee osteoarthritis. While long-term survival after mUKA is well described, reported incidences of short-term surgical complications vary and the effect of surgical usage on complications is less established. We aimed to describe the overall occurrence and treatment of surgical complications within 90 days of mUKA, as well as occurrence in high-usage centres compared to low-usage centres.

Aims

While mechanical alignment (MA) is the traditional technique in total knee arthroplasty (TKA), its potential for altering constitutional alignment remains poorly understood. This study aimed to quantify unintentional changes to constitutional coronal alignment and joint line obliquity (JLO) resulting from MA.

Aims

This study compared patient-reported outcomes of three total knee arthroplasty (TKA) designs from one manufacturer: one cruciate-retaining (CR) design, and two cruciate-sacrificing designs, anterior-stabilized (AS) and posterior-stabilized (PS).

Aims

Patient dissatisfaction following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA) with manual jig-based instruments has been reported to be as high as 30%. Robotic-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RA-TKA) has been increasingly used in an effort to improve patient outcomes, however there is a paucity of literature examining patient satisfaction after RA-TKA. This study aims to identify the incidence of patients who were not satisfied following RA-TKA and to determine factors associated with higher levels of dissatisfaction.

Aims

In-hospital length of stay (LOS) and discharge dispositions following arthroplasty could act as surrogate measures for improvement in patient pathways, and have major cost saving implications for healthcare providers. With the ever-growing adoption of robotic technology in arthroplasty, it is imperative to evaluate its impact on LOS. The objectives of this study were to compare LOS and discharge dispositions following robotic arm-assisted total knee arthroplasty (RO TKA) and unicompartmental arthroplasty (RO UKA) versus conventional technique (CO TKA and UKA).

Aims

Single-shot adductor canal block (ACB) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) for postoperative analgesia is a common modality. Patients can experience breakthrough pain when the effect of ACB wears off. Local anaesthetic infusion through an intra-articular catheter (IAC) can help manage breakthrough pain after TKA. We hypothesized that combined ACB with ropivacaine infusion through IAC is associated with better pain relief compared to ACB used alone.

Purpose. We report our initial results of a new comprehensive patient care plan to manage peri-operative pain, enable early mobilisation and reduce length of hospital stay in TKA. Methods and Results. A prospective audit of 1081 patients undergoing primary TKA during 2008 and 2009 was completed. All patients followed a planned programme including pre-operative patient education, pre-emptive analgesia, spinal/epidural anaesthesia with propofol sedation, intra-articular soft tissue wound infiltration, post-operative high volume intermittent ropivacaine boluses with an intra-articular catheter and early mobilisation. The primary outcome measure was the day of discharge from hospital. Secondary outcomes were verbal analogue pain scores on movement, time to first mobilisation, nausea and vomiting scores, urinary catheterisation for retention, need for rescue analgesia, maximum flexion at discharge and six weeks post-operatively, and Oxford score improvement. The median day of discharge was post-operative day four. Median pain score on mobilisation was three for first post-operative night, day one and two. 35% of patients ambulated on the day of surgery and 95% of patients within 24 hours. 79% patients experienced no nausea or vomiting. Catheterisation rate was 6.9%. Rescue analgesia was required in 5% of cases. Median maximum flexion was 85° on discharge and 93° at six weeks post-operatively. Only 6.6% of patients had a reduction in maximum flexion (loss of more than 5°) at six weeks. Median Oxford score had improved from 42 pre-operatively to 27 at six weeks post-operatively. The infection rate was 0.7% and the DVT and PE rates were 0.6% and 0.5% respectively. Conclusion. This new comprehensive care plan provides satisfactory post-operative analgesia allowing early safe ambulation and discharge from hospital. Despite surgeons' concerns early discharge was not detrimental to flexion achieved at six weeks and infection rates did not increase with the use of intra-articular catheters

Aims

Manipulation under anaesthesia (MUA) remains an effective intervention to address restricted range of motion (ROM) after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) and occurs in 2% to 3% of primary TKAs at our institution. Since there are few data on the outcomes of MUA with different anaesthetic methods, we sought to compare the outcomes of patients undergoing MUA with intravenous (IV) sedation and neuraxial anaesthesia.

Aims

Neither a surgeon’s intraoperative impression nor the parameters of computer navigation have been shown to be predictive of the outcomes following total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The aim of this study was to determine whether a surgeon, with robotic assistance, can predict the outcome as assessed using the Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS) for pain (KPS), one year postoperatively, and establish what factors correlate with poor KOOS scores in a well-aligned and balanced TKA.

Aims

The aim of this prospective multicentre study was to describe trends in length of stay and early complications and readmissions following unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) performed at eight different centres in Denmark using a fast-track protocol and to compare the length of stay between centres with high and low utilization of UKA.

Aims

Enhanced perioperative protocols have significantly improved patient recovery following primary total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Little has been investigated the effectiveness of these protocols for revision TKA (RTKA). We report on a matched group of aseptic revision and primary TKA patients treated with an identical pain and rehabilitation programmes.

Aims

Adductor canal block (ACB) has emerged as an alternative to femoral nerve block (FNB) for analgesia after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The optimal duration of maintenance of the ACB is still questionable. The purpose of this study was to compare the analgesic benefits and physiotherapy (PT) outcomes of single-shot ACB to two different regimens of infusion of the continuous ACB, 24-hour and 48-hour infusion.