When a patient undergoes total knee replacement, the goal is to manage pain effectively so they can get home safely. One way to do this is through an adductor canal block, which numbs the area around the knee. This study looked at whether it matters who performs that specific block: a surgeon during the operation or an anesthesiologist before the surgery.
The researchers followed 200 patients undergoing same-day discharge knee replacements. They compared two methods of delivering the nerve block. The results showed that both groups had similar pain levels at the start and at the time of discharge. Patients in both groups also used similar amounts of opioid medication during their first 24 hours, and neither group had any readmissions to the hospital.
While the surgeon-performed blocks were slightly faster for some patients, the difference was not statistically significant. This finding suggests that surgeons can perform these nerve blocks effectively without sacrificing patient comfort or safety. This could be helpful in clinics where anesthesiologist resources are limited, allowing more patients to receive high-quality pain management and get home sooner.
