Analgesic effect of femoral nerve block versus adductor canal block after total knee arthroplasty: a meta-analysis / 中国组织工程研究

ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND: In recent years, extensive studies on the pain management after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) have identified different ways of analgesia. Among which, femoral nerve block (FNB) is the standard antalgic method post-TKA for its effective analgesia, but it may reduce the muscle strength of the quadriceps after TKA and cause serious consequences. Adductor canal block (ACB) is a novel antalgic method that provides fast functional recovery and good ability of pain control after TKA. OBJECTIVE: To compare the functional recovery and ability of pain control of ACB and FNB after TKA through a meta-analysis. METHODS: Databases of WanFang, CNKI, PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase were searched for the literature concerning the analgesia and functional recovery after TKA published before March 2017. The articles were evaluated according to the Cochrane system and a meta-analysis was conducted on Revman 5.1. RESULTS AND CONCLUSION: (1) Twelve articles were included involving 802 patients with 872 knees. (2) Meta-analysis results showed that compared with FNB, ACB significantly reduced the Visual Analogue Scale scores at rest at 8 hours postoperatively (P < 0.001) and significantly improved the muscle strength of quadriceps femoris (P < 0.001) and motor capacity (Timed Up and Go test) (P < 0.05); but the scores at rest at 24 and 48 hours postoperatively, and the scores in activity at postoperative different time points, usage of opioids, and hospitalization time did not differ significantly between two groups. (3) ACB can achieve better analgesia at the early period (8 hours) after TKA, better motor capacity and stronger muscle strength of the quadriceps femoris; thereafter, it is a substitute for FNB after TKA.