Local Infiltration Analgesia With Ropivacaine Versus Placebo in Bilateral Knee Arthroplasty

Local Infiltration Analgesia With Ropivacaine Versus Placebo in Bilateral Knee Arthroplasty: a Placebo Controlled, Randomized, Double-Blinded Study.

The purpose of this study is to examine whether local infiltration analgesia (LIA) with Ropivacaine and adrenaline is effective in the treatment of postoperative pain after total knee arthroplasty.

Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is increasingly common in the treatment of osteoarthrosis. Despite aggressive analgesic regimes, TKA is associated with moderate to severe postoperative pain, delaying mobilization and hospital discharge. A relatively new method for controlling postoperative pain after TKA is local infiltration analgesia (LIA) which consists of local infiltration with Ropivacaine and adrenaline.3 studies haved showed promising results of LIA, but none have documented a superior analgesic effect versus placebo.Patients receiving bilateral knee arthroplasty are recruited to receive LIA and placebo infiltration.The aim of the study is to demonstrate an analgesic effect of LIA versus placebo.

Inclusion Criteria:

• patients eligible for total knee arthroplasty
• must speak and understand Danish
• must be able to give oral and written consent

Exclusion Criteria:

• Alcohol or medicine abuse
• Treatment with opioids
• Allergy to local anaesthetics
• Severe obesity