A Comparison between Sub-sartorial Canal Block and Femoral Nerve Block for Postoperative Analgesia after Arthroscopic Knee Surgery

Abstract

nee arthroscopy is a common orthopedic procedure worldwide, despite its minimally invasive nature compared to the traditional knee surgery, post-arthroscopic pain may be severe, and the patients generally require a significant amount of opioid-based analgesics after such procedures. Peripheral nerve blocks offer effective analgesia and decrease the need for opioids, thereby reducing the complications associated with the use of this class of drug. Pain management regimens following knee arthroscopy include oral analgesics, periarticular injection, peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs), and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia (PCA). Femoral nerve block (FNB) is commonly used for analgesia inpatients undergoing knee or ankle surgery. The Femoral Nerve Block (FNB) is one of the easiest peripheral nerve blocks to master because the landmarks are generally easy to identify and the nerve is usually found at a superficial depth. However, prolonged motor blockade from FNB is associated with a small but clinically important risk of fall. With the advent of ultrasonography, the adductor canal can be easily visualized at the mid-thigh level, allowing performance of Adductor Canal Block (ACB) with a high success rate