Continuous femoral nerve blockade or epidural analgesia after total knee replacement: A prospective randomized controlled trial

Abstract

Because postoperative pain after total knee replacement (TKR) can be severe, we compared the analgesic efficacy of continuous femoral nerve blockade (CFNB) and continuous epidural analgesia (CEA) after TKR in this prospective randomized trial. Patients undergoing TKR under spinal anesthesia were randomized to receive either a femoral infusion of bupivacaine 0.2% (median infusion rate 9.3 mL/h) (n = 53) or an epidural infusion of ropivacaine 0.2% with fentanyl 4 microg/mL (median infusion rate 7.6 mL/h) (n = 55). Adjuvant analgesics were oral rofecoxib and oxycodone and IV morphine. Pain, nausea and vomiting, hypotensive episodes, motor block, range of knee movement, and rehabilitation milest..