Evaluation of the feasibility of dexamethasone added to bupivacaine for continuous femoral nerve block for postoperative analgesia and rehabilitation after reconstructive knee surgery

Achieving adequate analgesia after total knee arthroplasty (TKA) can be a challenging; femoral nerve block (FNB) has been investigated and found to improve pain control following TKA. mixing local anaesthetic with adjuvant drugs improve the quality of analgesia from peripheral nerve blocks. We hypothesed that; adding dexamesathone to bupivacaine for continuous femoral nerve block provides better peri-operative analgesia than standard CFNB. Patients&methods: 150 patients affected by osteoarthritis scheduled for primary unilateral TKA were enrolled in the study. Patients were allocated into 3 groups, FNBD, FNB, and a control group. The following parameters were measured; total amount of morphine consumed, NRS, at rest and during movement, satisfaction scores for patient, sergeant, and anesthesia resident. Results: Patients in FNBD Group reported lower pain scores on passive movement compared to FNB Group. Cumulative morphine consumption was lower in FNBD Group after recruitment. Conclusion Dexamethasone added to bupivacaine prolonged analgesia fromFNB. Further studies will be necessary to demonstrate its safety for perineural use.