Single-Shot Femoral Nerve Block Versus Local Infiltration Analgesia For Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis

Single-Shot Femoral Nerve Block Versus Local Infiltration Analgesia For Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Systematic Review And Meta-Analysis

André Richard Da Silva Oliveira Filho, Student, BRAZIL Elcio Machinski, md, BRAZIL Vinícius Furtado, Student, BRAZIL Rodrigo Conde, MS, ARGENTINA Bruno Butturi Varone, MD, BRAZIL Riccardo Gomes Gobbi, MD, PhD, BRAZIL Camilo P. Helito, MD, PhD, Prof, BRAZIL Daniel Leal, MD, BRAZIL

Universidade de São Paulo (USP), São Paulo, São Paulo, BRAZIL


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Anatomic Location

Treatment / Technique


Summary: FNB vs LIA for TKA


ntroduction
Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is a common surgical procedure with a rising prevalence, particularly due to an aging population. Early postoperative rehabilitation is crucial for favorable long-term outcomes, necessitating effective analgesic strategies. Femoral nerve block (FNB) and local infiltration analgesia (LIA) are widely utilized for pain management. However, the relative efficacy of single-shot femoral nerve block (sFNB) versus LIA remains unclear due to mixed study results. This study aims to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to address these uncertainties.

Methods

This systematic review and meta-analysis adhered to Cochrane and PRISMA guidelines, focusing exclusively on prospective randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that compared sFNB with LIA in TKA patients. A comprehensive literature search was performed using Medline, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases. Data were extracted on postoperative pain scores, opioid consumption, length of hospital stay, nausea and vomiting. The mean differences (MD) and risk ratios (RR) were pooled with 95% confidence intervals (CI) for continuous and categorical outcomes, respectively. Heterogeneity was assessed by I2 statistics. The RoB2 tool was employed to evaluate the risk of bias. Subgroup analyses were performed for studies that included epinephrine, morphine, or ketorolac in the LIA drug cocktail.

Results

The systematic search yielded 922 studies, of which 12 RCTs were included in the meta-analysis, encompassing a total of 1,161 patients - 577 in the LIA group and 584 in the sFNB group. There were no statistically significant differences between the groups in terms of pain scores on postoperative day (POD) 1 at rest (MD = 0.19; 95% CI: -0.22 to 0.61; p = 0.36; I² = 58%), on POD 2 at rest (MD = 0.07; 95% CI: -0.30 to 0.44; p = 0.71; I² = 19%), on POD 1 during mobilization (MD = 0.07; 95% CI: -0.94 to 1.08; p = 0.88; I² = 81%) and on POD2 during mobilization (MD = -0.09; 95% CI: -0.25 to 0.08; p = 0.88; I² = 81%). Also, there was no difference in opioid consumption on POD 1 (MD = 0.27 mg; 95% CI: -3.22 to 3.76; p = 0.88; I² = 83%), on POD 2 (MD = -0.34 mg; 95% CI: -1.01 to 0.34; p = 0.33; I² = 0%) and in incidence of nausea (RR = 0.94; 95% CI: 0.60 to 1.46; p = 0.783; I² = 0%) between sFNB and LIA. However, the LIA group showed a statistically significant reduction in length of hospital stay (MD = -0.23; 95% CI: -0.06 to -0.41; p < 0.01; I² = 0%). The subgroup analyses were consistent with the overall non-statistically significant trend.

Conclusions

The LIA group demonstrated shorter hospital stays compared to the sFNB group. However, the reduction was approximately six hours, which may not be clinically meaningful. Additionally, no significant differences were observed between the groups in postoperative pain scores, opioid consumption, or the incidence of nausea and vomiting.