Checking whether an adductor canal injection spreads to the tibial and fibular branches of the sciatic nerve.
Evaluation of Local Anesthetic Diffusion to the Sciatic Nerve During Adductor Canal Block: an Observational Study
For adults having elective knee surgery with an adductor canal block, this will test if the local anesthetic spreads to the tibial and fibular branches of the sciatic nerve.
Quick facts
| Study type | Observational |
|---|---|
| Enrollment | 70 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | Assistance Publique - Hôpitaux de Paris Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Boulogne-Billancourt) |
| Trial ID | NCT07301476 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This single-center observational study will enroll adults scheduled for elective knee surgery who receive a standard adductor canal block at CHU Raymond Poincaré (AP-HP). After the block, investigators will perform clinical sensorimotor testing to detect signs of tibial and fibular nerve involvement attributed to local anesthetic spread through the adductor hiatus. The primary outcome is the frequency of clinical diffusion to the tibial and fibular nerves. Patients with peripheral neuropathy, additional lower-limb blocks (such as IPACK), or other exclusion criteria are not eligible.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Adults (over 18) scheduled for elective knee surgery at the participating center who will receive an adductor canal block and meet the study's inclusion/exclusion criteria are eligible.
Not a fit: Patients with existing lower-limb peripheral neuropathy, those who receive additional blocks or surgical infiltration, or those not treated at the study center are unlikely to gain useful information from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, the results could help clinicians predict when an adductor canal block will provide broader sciatic-nerve coverage and guide pain-control planning after knee surgery.
How similar studies have performed: Prior anatomical and imaging reports have suggested that adductor canal injections can spread to tibial and fibular nerves via the adductor hiatus, but no clinical study has measured how often this occurs.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * patients over 18 years old scheduled for elective knee surgery under general anesthesia * in our center * receiving an adductor canal block Exclusion Criteria: * patients cognitively impaired, * patients suffering from peripheral neuropathy at the lower limb, * patients receiving an IPACK block or surgical knee infiltration to complete the adductor canal block analgesia. * patients who refused to take part in this study * pregnant or breastfeeding patients * patients under guardianship * imprisoned patients, * patients without any medical insurance
Where this trial is running
Boulogne-Billancourt
- Department of Anesthésia, CHU Raymond Poincaré - APHP — Boulogne-Billancourt, France (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Romuald Henry, MD — CHU Raymond Poincaré - APHP
- Study coordinator: Romuald Henry, MD
- Email: romuald.henry@aphp.fr
- Phone: + 33 06 72 83 17 51
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.