In-plane three-step needle insertion technique for ultrasound-guided continuous femoral nerve block after total knee arthroplasty: a retrospective review of 488 cases.
	    		
		   		
		   			
		   		
	    	
    	 
    	10.4097/kjae.2016.69.6.587
   		
        
        	
        	
        	
        		- Author:
	        		
		        		
		        		
			        		Hyeon Ju SHIN
			        		
			        		
			        		
			        			1
			        			
			        		
			        		
			        		
			        		
			        		;
		        		
		        		
		        		
			        		Jung Sub SOH
			        		
			        		;
		        		
		        		
		        		
			        		Hyong Hwan LIM
			        		
			        		;
		        		
		        		
		        		
			        		Bumjoon JOO
			        		
			        		;
		        		
		        		
		        		
			        		Hye Won LEE
			        		
			        		;
		        		
		        		
		        		
			        		Hae Ja LIM
			        		
			        		
		        		
		        		
		        		
		        		
		        			
			        		
			        		Author Information
			        		
		        		
		        		
			        		
			        		
			        			1. Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Korea University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea. may335@naver.com
			        		
		        		
	        		
        		 
        	
        	
        	
        		- Publication Type:Original Article
 
        	
        	
        		- Keywords:
        			
	        			
	        				
	        				
			        		
				        		Arthroplasty;
			        		
			        		
			        		
				        		Catheters;
			        		
			        		
			        		
				        		Femoral nerve;
			        		
			        		
			        		
				        		Knee;
			        		
			        		
			        		
				        		Ultrasonography
			        		
			        		
	        			
        			
        		
 
        	
            
            	- MeSH:
            	
	        			
	        				
	        				
				        		
					        		Abscess;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Analgesia;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Anesthesia, Spinal;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Arthroplasty;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Arthroplasty, Replacement, Knee*;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Catheters;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Fascia;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Femoral Nerve*;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Follow-Up Studies;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Hematoma;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Humans;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Knee;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Needles*;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Neurologic Manifestations;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Paresthesia;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Retrospective Studies*;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Treatment Outcome;
				        		
			        		
				        		
					        		Ultrasonography
				        		
			        		
	        			
	        			
            	
            	
 
            
            
            	- From:Korean Journal of Anesthesiology
	            		
	            		 2016;69(6):587-591
	            	
            	
 
            
            
            	- CountryRepublic of Korea
 
            
            
            	- Language:English
 
            
            
            	- 
		        	Abstract:
			       	
			       		
				        
				        	BACKGROUND: Continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB) improves postoperative analgesia after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical efficacy and complications of our in-plane three-step needle insertion technique that was devised to reduce the risk of direct femoral nerve injury during CFNB in anesthetized patients. METHODS: This retrospective study included 488 patients who had undergone TKA. Ultrasound (US)-guided CFNB was performed under general or spinal anesthesia using an in-plane, three-step needle insertion technique. The success rate and difficulties of catheter placement, clinical efficacy of analgesia, and complications were recorded. RESULTS: Femoral catheters were placed with a 100% success rate. In 488 patients, real-time US imaging revealed easy separation of the fascia iliaca and the femoral nerve following injection of local anesthetic through a Tuohy needle. Verbal numerical rating scale pain scores (0–10) were 2.0 ± 1.2, 3.5 ± 1.9, 3.2 ± 1.7, 2.9 ± 1.3, and 2.5 ± 1.1 at 1, 6, 12, 24 and 48 h postoperatively. No femoral hematoma, femoral abscess, or neurologic complications, including paresthesia or neurologic deficits, were observed during the 8-week follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: This retrospective study suggests that an in-plane three-step needle insertion technique for CFNB may reduce the risk of femoral nerve injury in anesthetized patients.