Effect of local injection of ropivacaine on the analgesia and function recovery after total knee arthroplasty

Objective:To observe the effects of local injection of ropivacaine combined with patient-controlled intravenous analgesia on the analgesia and early functional exercise after total knee arthroplasty(TKA).Methods:Ninety patients with primary unilateral TKA were randomly divided into the control group and observation group(45 cases each group).The control group and observation group were treated with patient-controlled intravenous analgesia and periarticular local injection of ropivacaine combined with patient-controlled intravenous analgesia,respectively.The knee pain at stationary and moving state between two groups after 6,12,24,48,72 h and 1 week of operation were evaluated and compared using the visual analogue scale(VAS).The range of motion of knee joint in two groups after 24,48,72 h and 1 week of operation were measured.The postoperative dizziness,nausea,vomiting and numbness of the limbs in two groups were observed.Results:The VAS scores in observation group at stationary and moving state after 6,12,24 and 48 h of operation were less than that in control group(P<0.05 to P<0.01).The differences of the VAS scores at stationary and moving state between two groups after 72 h and 1 week of operation were not statistically significant(P>0.05).The early range of motion in observation group was significantly better than that in control group(P<0.01).Conclusions:The periarticular local injection of ropivacaine in the treatment of pain during TKA is a simple,effective and low cost,and which has obviously postoperative analgesic effect,and can contribute to the recovery of knee joint function.