An interventional study of Anterior Nerves of the Knee (ANK) Block and Femoral Nerve Block in Postoperative Pain, Knee Arthroscopy and Analgesia, sponsored by Van Training and Research Hospital. Recruiting at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Open to participants aged 18 Years to 65 Years. Per ClinicalTrials.gov, last updated 2026-11-02.
Sponsored by Van Training and Research Hospital · Not applicable, Interventional, and Treatment
Knee arthroscopy is one of the most common orthopedic procedures, and effective postoperative analgesia is essential for early mobilization and patient comfort. Femoral nerve block provides effective analgesia after knee surgery but can cause quadriceps weakness. The anterior nerves of the knee (ANK) block is a recently described, motor-sparing fascial plane block targeting the sensory nerves of the anterior knee. This prospective, randomized, single-blind study compares ultrasound-guided ANK block with ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block in adult patients undergoing elective knee arthroscopy under spinal anesthesia, with respect to postoperative analgesic consumption, pain scores, intraoperative hemodynamics and time to first mobilization.
Adult patients (18-65 years, ASA I-II) scheduled for elective knee arthroscopy under spinal anesthesia will be randomized 1:1 using sealed opaque envelopes to receive either an ultrasound-guided ANK block or an ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block in the block room before surgery. Both blocks are performed with 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine (10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine diluted with 10 mL of 0.9% saline). Sensory and motor block (quadriceps strength, MRC scale) are assessed 20 minutes after the block. All patients then receive standard spinal anesthesia with 12.5 mg of 0.5% hyperbaric bupivacaine without adjuvants. Premedication is standardized (midazolam 1 mg and fentanyl 50 mcg IV). Identical dressings are applied to the groin and knee in all patients to maintain blinding.
Heart rate and blood pressure are recorded at baseline (before spinal anesthesia), skin incision, tourniquet inflation, tourniquet deflation and end of surgery. Postoperative analgesia consists of IV paracetamol and IV tramadol as rescue analgesia, administered by ward staff blinded to group allocation. Pain is assessed with a Visual Analog Scale (0-10) at rest and on movement at 0, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 hours postoperatively by an assessor blinded to group allocation. The anesthesiologist performing the block is not blinded. Block-related complications (local anesthetic systemic toxicity, hematoma, infection, falls/knee buckling) are recorded.
5,640 studies on the registry are indexed under Pain, Postoperative; 1,230 are open to participants now.
This study's planned enrollment of 70 is close to the median of 75 across 4,821 interventional studies indexed under Pain, Postoperative.
Browse Pain, Postoperative studies →Van Training and Research Hospital is the lead sponsor of 8 studies on the registry; 5 are open to participants now.
Counted across the registry records on this site, refreshed daily.
Inclusion Criteria:
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Inclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
Exclusion Criteria:
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Underlined terms in the criteria open these too. Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
The anaesthetists’ scale of health before surgery: I is healthy, II has a mild illness that is under control, III a severe one, IV a severe illness that is a constant threat to life. V and VI are used for the critically ill and for organ donors.
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
ASA physical status
The anaesthetists’ scale of health before surgery: I is healthy, II has a mild illness that is under control, III a severe one, IV a severe illness that is a constant threat to life. V and VI are used for the critically ill and for organ donors.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Informed consent
Before you join, the study team explains what taking part involves — its purpose, what happens, the risks and possible benefits — and answers your questions, so you can decide freely. Consent is usually recorded on a form (the informed consent form, ICF) signed by you or, where the law allows, by someone legally authorised to decide for you.
You can keep asking questions during the study, you are told of new information that matters, and you can choose to leave at any time.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Contraindication
A reason a treatment, test or procedure should not be given to a particular person, such as an allergy, another illness or a medicine they take.
Explained by clinicaltrials.gg, not part of the registry record. The study team decides who can take part.
Patients receive an ultrasound-guided anterior nerves of the knee (ANK) block with 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine before spinal anesthesia for knee arthroscopy.
Procedure: Anterior Nerves of the Knee (ANK) Block
Patients receive an ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block with 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine before spinal anesthesia for knee arthroscopy.
Procedure: Femoral Nerve Block
Ultrasound-guided anterior nerves of the knee (ANK) block performed in the block room before spinal anesthesia with 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine (10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine diluted with 10 mL of 0.9% saline).
Also known as: ANK block
Ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block performed in the block room before spinal anesthesia with 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine (10 mL of 0.5% bupivacaine diluted with 10 mL of 0.9% saline).
Total Postoperative Tramadol Consumption
Total amount of intravenous tramadol (mg) administered as rescue analgesia during the first 24 hours after the end of surgery.
Time frame: 24 hours after surgery
Pain Score at Rest
Pain intensity at rest assessed with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain) by an assessor blinded to group allocation.
Time frame: 0, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 hours after surgery
Pain Score on Movement
Pain intensity on movement assessed with a Visual Analog Scale (VAS) from 0 (no pain) to 10 (worst imaginable pain) by an assessor blinded to group allocation.
Time frame: 0, 2, 4, 6, 12 and 24 hours after surgery
Time to First Rescue Analgesic
Time (minutes) from the end of surgery to the first administration of a rescue analgesic (tramadol or paracetamol, whichever is first). Patients who require no analgesic are censored at 24 hours.
Time frame: 24 hours after surgery
Total Postoperative Paracetamol Consumption
Total amount of intravenous paracetamol (mg) administered during the first 24 hours after the end of surgery.
Time frame: 24 hours after surgery
Intraoperative Heart Rate
Heart rate (beats/min) recorded at baseline (before spinal anesthesia), skin incision, tourniquet inflation, tourniquet deflation and end of surgery.
Time frame: From baseline (before spinal anesthesia) to the end of surgery
Intraoperative Mean Arterial Pressure
Mean arterial pressure (mmHg) recorded at baseline (before spinal anesthesia), skin incision, tourniquet inflation, tourniquet deflation and end of surgery.
Time frame: From baseline (before spinal anesthesia) to the end of surgery
Time to First Mobilization
Time (hours) from the end of surgery to the first safe ambulation.
Time frame: Up to 48 hours after surgery
Quadriceps Muscle Strength
Quadriceps muscle strength of the operated limb assessed with the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale from 0 (no contraction) to 5 (normal strength).
Time frame: 20 minutes after block
Incidence of Block-Related Complications
Number of participants with local anesthetic systemic toxicity, hematoma or infection at the injection site, or falls/knee buckling during mobilization.
Time frame: 24 hours after surgery
Plan to share: No — Individual participant data will not be shared publicly. De-identified data may be made available by the corresponding author upon reasonable request.
Started Oct 2026 (actual). Primary completion is estimated for Mar 2027, 4 months after the start.
Of 2,089 non-industry interventional studies with no phase under Pain, Postoperative, half reached primary completion within 11 months of starting (the median), counting those still running; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 23. This study's planned 4 months is below that.
Counting every sponsor, half of 2,102 studies reached it within 11 months; a quarter within 6 and three quarters within 23.
How these figures are worked out, and which studies are left out of them.
From the registry record's own update history. This site started tracking changes on Sep 25, 2026; for anything earlier, see the record history on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
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