Eur Rev Med Pharmaco
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Eur Rev Med Pharmaco · Jul 2010
Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative StudyPost-operative analgesia following total knee arthroplasty: comparison of low-dose intrathecal morphine and single-shot ultrasound-guided femoral nerve block: a randomized, single blinded, controlled study.
Total knee arthroplasty often results in marked postoperative pain. A recent meta-analysis supports the use of femoral nerve block or alternatively spinal injection of morphine plus local anaesthetic for post-operative analgesia. On the other hand, the use of intrathecal morphine may be associated with a large number of distressing side effects (itching, urinary retention, nausea and vomiting, delayed respiratory depression). The aim of this study was to compare the effectiveness of femoral nerve block and low dose intrathecal morphine in post-operative analgesia after primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty. ⋯ Our results show that low dose of intrathecal morphine may be safe and more efficient than single-shot femoral nerve block for post-operative analgesia after total knee arthroplasty.