Periarticular Injection with Bupivacaine for Postoperative Pain Control in Total Knee Replacement: A Prospective Randomized Double-Blind Controlled Trial

60 osteoarthritis patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA) were randomized to receive a periarticular injection of bupivacaine or saline prior to closure of the wound. Over the first 6 hours after surgery, patients in the bupivacaine group consumed significantly less morphine than the saline group. However, this difference was not significant between 6 and 96 hours after the operation. The two groups also did not differ in the occurrence of wound complications, pain, morphine side effects, and length of stay at the hospital over 96 hours.