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CompletedNCT01797588Updated Jan 5, 2015

Pain After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Trial Examining Combined Adductor-canal Nerve Block and Periarticular Infiltration Versus Adductor Canal Nerve Block Versus Periarticular Infiltration

A Phase 4 interventional study of Adductor-canal block and Periarticular infiltration in Total Knee Arthroplasty and Postoperative Pain, sponsored by North York General Hospital. Completed at 1 site in Canada. Open to participants aged 18 Years and older. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2015-01-05.

Sponsored by North York General Hospital · Phase 4, Interventional, and Treatment

Phase
Phase 4
Study type
Interventional
Enrollment
156
Allocation
Randomized
Ages
18 Years and older
Sex
All
01

Study summary

Effective pain management following total knee arthroplasty is important to facilitate early mobilization and rehabilitation. To manage post-operative pain, multimodal analgesia, including acetaminophen, NSAID's, gabapentin, opioids and local anesthetics are used. However, local anesthetics injected into the femoral nerve area may cause a block in motor function of the quadriceps muscle. Both adductor-canal peripheral nerve block performed pre-operatively, and periarticular infiltration performed intra-operatively are effective in reducing pain following TKA without causing quadriceps motor block which can impede mobilization. No published trials have been found that compare single shot adductor-canal block plus periarticular infiltration to periarticular infiltration only or adductor-canal nerve block only. The purpose of this trial is to examine the effect of 3 different approaches to nerve blockade: 1) adductor-canal block plus periarticular infiltration; 2) adductor-canal block only; 3) periarticular infiltration only, on pain, analgesic consumption, mobility, pain related interference with activities and length of hospital stay in participants undergoing unilateral TKA. Patients will be eligible for participation if they are 18 years old or older, and can speak, and read English. Ninety-six trial participants will be randomized to receive 1 of the 3 approaches to nerve blockade as part of their pain management plan. Outcomes will be measured on post-operative days 1 and 2 and length of stay will be calculated in hours after the participant is discharged to home. It is hypothesized that participants that receive both adductor-canal nerve block plus periarticular infiltration will report less pain, improved mobility and less pain related interference with activities.

Read the detailed description

Hypothesis:

The combination of adductor-canal peripheral nerve block with periarticular intra-operative infiltration (AC+PI) provides superior analgesia and preserves motor function as compared to adductor-canal block (AC) only or periarticular infusion (PI) only.

Specific Aims:

The primary outcome of this trial is to examine pain on walking, using a 0 to 10 numeric rating scale (NRS), at post-operative day 1 in patients who undergo TKA using 3 different approaches to nerve blockade: 1) adductor-canal block plus periarticular infiltration; 2) adductor-canal block only; 3) periarticular infiltration only.

The secondary outcomes of this trial are to examine, in patients who undergo TKA using 3 different approaches to nerve blockade: 1) adductor-canal block plus periarticular infiltration; 2) adductor-canal block only; 3) periarticular infiltration only:

  1. pain at rest on post-operative day 1 and day 2 at 1000
  2. pain with walking on post-operative day 2
  3. pain with knee flexion on post-operative day 1 and day 2 at 1000
  4. analgesic consumption on post-operative day 1 and day 2
  5. distance walked on post-operative day 1 and day 2
  6. pain related interference with activities on post-operative day 1 and day 2
  7. length of stay
02

Conditions studied

  • Total Knee Arthroplasty
  • Postoperative Pain

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Keywords

  • Total Knee Arthroplasty
  • Pain
  • Periarticular infiltration
  • Adductor canal block
  • Postoperative
03

In context

Pain, Postoperative

5,093 studies on the registry are indexed under Pain, Postoperative; 1,137 are open to participants now.

This study's enrollment of 156 is above the median of 75 across 4,341 interventional studies indexed under Pain, Postoperative.

Browse Pain, Postoperative studies →

Lead sponsor

North York General Hospital is the lead sponsor of 5 studies on the registry; 1 is open to participants now.

Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.

04

Who can participate

Ages eligible
18 Years and older
Sexes eligible
All
Accepts healthy volunteers
No

Inclusion criteria

  • age 18 years or older
  • ASA I-III
  • eligible for spinal anesthetic
  • able to speak
  • read and understand English
  • willing to participate in the trial
  • will be discharged home.

Exclusion criteria

Exclusion Criteria:

  • contraindication to regional anesthesia
  • have an allergy to local anesthetics
  • contradiction to NSAID's
  • have chronic pain that is not related to their knee joint
  • have been using opioids on a chronic basis (3 months or longer)
  • have a pre-existing peripheral neuropathy involving the operative site.
05

Study design

Phase
Phase 4
Primary purpose
Treatment
Allocation
Randomized
Intervention model
Single group
Masking
Single (Outcomes assessor)
Enrollment
156 participants (actual)

Study arms

  • Active comparator
    adductor-canal block and periarticular infiltration

    Adductor-canal block,performed prior to surgery using ultra sound guidance by an anesthetist, with a total of 30mL of 0.33% ropivacaine injected into the area surrounding the saphenous nerve. Periarticular infiltration, performed intra-operatively by the surgeon, involves administering a 110 mL solution of ropivacaine 300mg, preservative free morphine 10mg, ketorolac 30mg mixed in normal saline into the knee.

    Procedure: Adductor-canal block · Procedure: Periarticular infiltration

  • Active comparator
    adductor-canal block

    The adductor-canal block only group will receive an adductor-canal block prior to surgery in the block room using ultra sound guidance by an anesthetist. After the adductor-canal is located a total of 30mL of 0.33% ropivacaine will be injected into the area surrounding the saphenous nerve. Participants will also receive 110mL of normal saline administered as follows: the first 20mL aliquot is injected into the posterior capsule and the medial and lateral ligaments just prior to implantation; after the implants have been cemented and curing, another 20mL is infiltrated to the quadriceps and retinacular tissues. The remaining solution (\~60mL) is used to infiltrate the muscle, subcutaneous tissues.

    Procedure: Adductor-canal block

  • Active comparator
    periarticular infusion group

    Periarticular infiltration,performed intra-operatively,involves administering a 110 mL solution of ropivacaine 300mg, preservative free morphine 10mg, ketorolac 30mg mixed in normal saline into the knee. It will be administered as follows: the first 20mL aliquot is injected into the posterior capsule and the medial and lateral ligaments just prior to implantation; after the implants have been cemented and curing, another 20mL is infiltrated to the quadriceps and retinacular tissues. The remaining solution (\~60mL) is used to infiltrate the muscle, subcutaneous tissues.

    Procedure: Periarticular infiltration

Interventions

  • ProcedureAdductor-canal block

    The adductor-canal will be located via ultra sound and a total of 30mL of 0.33% ropivacaine will be injected into the area surrounding the saphenous nerve.

  • ProcedurePeriarticular infiltration

    Periarticular infiltration will be performed intra-operatively and involves administering a 110 mL solution of ropivacaine 300mg, preservative free morphine 10mg, ketorolac 30mg mixed in normal saline into the knee. In each Knee: the first 20mL aliquot is injected into the posterior capsule and the medial and lateral ligaments just prior to implantation; after the implants have been cemented and curing, another 20mL is infiltrated to the quadriceps and retinacular tissues. The remaining solution (\~60mL) is used to infiltrate the muscle, subcutaneous tissues.

06

What researchers measure

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain Intensity

    The primary outcome of this trial is to examine pain on walking, using a 0 to 10 numeric rating scale (NRS), at post-operative day 1 in patients who undergo TKA

    Time frame: Post-operative day 1

Secondary outcomes

  1. pain related interference with activities

    This will be measured using the BPI-interference subscale.

    Time frame: on post-operative day 1 and day 2

07

Study locations

1 site
  • North York General Hospital
    Toronto, Ontario M2K 1E1, Canada
08

Updates

Tracking since Sep 25, 2026
No changes since tracking began. The registry record was last updated on Jan 5, 2015, before this site started recording changes on Sep 25, 2026. Its history is on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
09

Registry details

Key details

Study ID
NCT01797588
Lead sponsor
North York General Hospital
Responsible party
Mona Sawhney (Dr. Mona Sawhney, NP, North York General Hospital) — Principal investigator
First posted
Feb 22, 2013
Start date
Mar 2013
Primary completion
Mar 2014
Completion
Mar 2014
Last update
Jan 5, 2015

Study contacts

Monakshi Sawhney, PhD
principal investigator · North York General Hospital

Oversight

Data monitoring committee
No
View the source record on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗

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This study is completed, as verified in Jan 2015. You cannot join it, but the record below documents what was studied.

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