2024 COA Annual Meeting: Comparison of adductor canal block with local infiltration analgesia versus local infiltration alone in ACL surgery: a double-blind RCT

One hundred patients undergoing outpatient arthroscopic ACL repair were randomized to receive either adductor canal block (ACB) combined with local infiltration analgesia (LIA) (n=50) or LIA alone (n=50). The primary outcome of interest was opioid consumption. Secondary outcomes of interest included pain levels, quadriceps muscle strength, quality of recovery, and knee function. Outcomes were assessed over the first 24 hours postoperatively and at one week after surgery. Overall, the results of the study revealed that patients in the ACB group used fewer opioids in the first 24 hours postoperatively. However, other metrics such as discharge time, pain levels, quadriceps strength, recovery quality, and knee function showed no significant differences between the two groups. The study suggests that while ACB can reduce early postoperative opioid use, it does not offer substantial additional pain control benefits when combined with LIA.