Abstract:
Objective To explore the effect of different doses of esketamine combined with ropivacaine on femoral and sciatic nerve block on reactive pain after knee arthroplasty under general anesthesia.
Methods A total of 99 patients undergoing primary knee arthroplasty were recruited, and randomly divided into the low-dose group (Group L), high-dose group (Group H) and control group (Group C) at 1∶1∶1 ratio to, with 33 cases in each group. In the femoral nerve-sciatic nerve block group (group L), the 0.25% ropivacaine + 0.25 mg/kg esketamine 30 mL was used. In group H, the 0.25% ropivacaine + 0.5 mg/kg esketamine 30 mL was used. In group C, only 0.25% ropivacaine 30 mL was used. The incidence of reactive pain after surgery, duration of sensory and motor block, number of compressions of the analgesic pump and Opioid consumption within 48h after operation, postoperative adverse reactions, time of first getting out of bed and active range of motion of the knee joint after 48 hours of surgery were recorded in three groups.
Results The incidence of reactive pain in group H was significantly lower than that in group L and group C (P < 0.05). The comparison of NRS scores among three groups after 6, 12, 24 and 48 hours of operation showed that at each of the four time points, the scores decreased in the order of group C, Group L, and Group h (P < 0.05). The number of compressions of the analgesic pump and consumption of opioid drugs within 48 hours after the operation showed a decreasing trend in group C, Group L and Group H (P < 0.01). The duration of sensory and motor block showed an increasing trend in group C, Group L and Group H (P < 0.01). There was no statistically significant difference in the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, hypotension, urinary retention and constipation among three groups (P > 0.05). There was no statistically significant difference in the time of first getting out of bed and active range of motion of the knee joint after 48 hours of surgery among the three groups (P > 0.05).
Conclusions The 0.5 mg/kg esketamine combined with ropivacaine femoral-sciatic nerve block can significantly reduce the occurrence of reactive pain after knee arthroplasty, enhance the postoperative analgesic effect, prolong the duration of nerve block, and has good safety.