Comparing Pain Relief by Blocking Vastus Lateralis Nerve or Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve After Knee Surgery

What this Trial Is About

Knee surgeries often cause significant pain after the operation, which can delay movement and recovery. This trial aims to compare how well blocking the nerve to the vastus lateralis muscle works against blocking the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve to manage pain and improve function after knee surgery. The study uses recent ultrasound-guided techniques to target these specific nerves for pain relief. Participants will be randomly assigned to receive either the vastus lateralis nerve block or the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve block. Both groups will receive an injection of 5 ml of bupivacaine 0.5% to block the respective nerves. These procedures are performed during the surgery under spinal anesthesia. The trial is double-blinded, meaning neither the patients nor the researchers know which nerve block is given to ensure unbiased results. During the study, researchers will monitor pain levels 24 hours after surgery, time until the first request for additional pain relief, total morphine use, block procedure time, patient satisfaction, hospital stay length, and any side effects during the first 24 hours. The hospital stay may last up to one week. Participants will undergo assessments related to pain and recovery, with close monitoring to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of each nerve block over this period.

Analgesic Efficacy of Blocking Nerve to Vastus Lateralis Muscle Versus Lateral Femoral Cutaneous Nerve After Knee Surgeries