The investigators propose that a preoperative femoral and sciatic blocks vs a femoral block only, prior to ambulatory anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction will lead to a decrease in opiate consumption, pain scores, and post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) length of stay. The investigators are prospectively randomizing patients to either a femoral or a fem/sciatic block and monitor outcomes.
Although femoral nerve blocks improve analgesia after anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction, patients often complain of posterior knee pain, which can be treated with a sciatic nerve block. In a prospective randomized study, we compare preoperative femoral nerve block to a combined femoral and sciatic block in patients undergoing ambulatory ACL reconstruction. We hypothesize that the combined femoral/sciatic nerve block patients would have improved analgesia, fewer opioid-related side effects, and shorter PACU length of stay and improved patient satisfaction.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
68
Performing a sciatic block in addition to a femoral block preoperatively
Performing a preoperative sciatic nerve block only
UCSF Orthopedic Institute
San Francisco, California, United States
Pain Scores
Time frame: PACU and POD1, 2 and 3.
Length of stay
Time frame: Duration of stay in the recovery room
Opiate consumption
Time frame: During surgery, recovery room and for 3 days after discharge
PONV
Time frame: During the recovery room stay and after discharge from surgery center for up to 3 days.
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