Early versus delayed postoperative adductor canal block in total knee arthroplasty.

ABSTRACT

Background: We hypothesized that patients who received an adductor canal block (ACB) in the operating room following unilateral total knee arthroplasty would have a lower oral morphine milligram equivalent (MME) consumption during the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) phase 1 recovery period compared to patients who received an ACB in the PACU. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study of patients who underwent robotic-assisted unilateral total knee arthroplasty under general anesthesia between March 1, 2020, and February 28, 2021, and received postoperative ACB either in the operating room or the PACU. Results: A total of 36 and 178 patients received postoperative ACB in the operating room and PACU, respectively, and had median and interquartile range MME consumption in the PACU of 22.5 (20-40) mg and 30.0 (20-40) mg (P = 0.76), respectively. Patients who had an ACB performed in the operating room and PACU had median and interquartile ranges of time spent in the PACU of 101 (75-178) minutes and 186 (125-272) minutes (P < 0.01), respectively. Conclusion: Patients who received an ACB in the operating room did not have a lower OME consumption than patients who received an ACB in the PACU but did have a shorter PACU length of stay.