RESUMEN
The objective of this study was to compare between the efficacy, the duration and the side effects of three different analgesic techniques [three-in-one block, intra-articular local anesthetic and intravenous patient-controlled analgesia with morphine] on the patients who were scheduled for elective diagnostic Knee arthroscopic surgery under general anesthesia. Forty five patients scheduled for elective diagnostic knee arthroscopiy were randomly allocated into three equal groups. Group I three-in-one block, group II intra-articular block by injection of 30ml ropivacaine 0.5% and group III PCA with intravenous morphine. Pain scores [VAS], requirement of supplemental analgesia, and the side effects of each block were recorded. Groups I and III did not differ significantly regarding the pain score, while it was significantly higher in group II [p<0.01]. This was reflected by the requirement of supplementary analgesia in the three groups. Group III patients experienced more side effects when compared with patients of the other two groups. Three-in-one block provides effective analgesia with a low incidence of side-effects and a high patient satisfaction rate. PCA with morphine provide effective analgesia but with high incidence of side effects. On the contrary, intra-articular analgesia was associated with significantly higher pain scores and a lower degree of patient satisfaction