Local infiltration analgesia adds no clinical benefit in pain control to peripheral nerve blocks after total knee arthroplasty

This report has been verified by one or more authors of the original publication.

101 patients scheduled for total knee arthroplasty due to osteoarthritis were randomized to combined femoral and sciatic nerve block with or without the addition of local infiltration analgesia as part of the multimodal postoperative analgesia regimen. Patients were assessed for pain scores and rescue analgesia consumption over 72 hours postoperatively, as well for knee range of motion and Knee Society Score over a 6-month follow-up. With the exception of lower pain scores at 12 hours in the group which received administration of LIA, there were no significant differences between groups in any outcome measure at any time point. These results indicate only a modest effect of LIA on immediate postoperative pain which may not be of clinical relevance.