all femoral blocks, because
that was what was out
there. Now that anesthesi-
ologists have become more
sophisticated, we've
moved to adductor canal
blocks and have noticed a
decrease in the number of
falls in those patients.
That's allowed me to be
more aggressive and get
my patients home."
The 2014 study also sug-
gested that the adductor
canal serves as a conduit
for several nerves in and
around the knee, thereby
providing a wider area of
anesthesia. An OR supervi-
sor from a New Jersey hos-
pital says her facility
moved from the femoral perineural catheter to the adductor canal
catheter because "it doesn't block the motor pathways post-op."
That's made it easier for patients to ambulate without having their
knees buckle, she says, adding that "some patients tell us they have
no pain at all, or very slight discomfort."
Getting pumped
Less than 20% of our survey respondents provide continuous nerve
blocks via catheters and pain pumps. Anesthesiologist Zev Wachtel,
J a n u a r y 2 0 1 7 • O U T PA T I E N TS U R G E R Y. N E T • 9 5
• POWERFUL BLOCK Regional blocks play a key role in managing
total knee patients' pain and facilitating rapid discharge.
