Continuous versus single adductor canal nerve block for outpatient total knee replacement
Official title: A Pilot Randomized Controlled Trial Assessing Pain and Opioid Outcomes Among Patients Undergoing Total Knee Arthroplasty Receiving 5-Day Outpatient Adductor Canal Continuous Versus Single Injection Blocks
Run by University of California, San Diego · NCT06784882 · Data updated 2026-11-12
This test checks whether adding a 5-day continuous adductor canal nerve block to the usual single injection lowers pain and opioid use after outpatient total knee replacement.
Quick facts
| Phase | Phase 4 |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Enrollment | 40 (estimated) |
| Sponsor | University of California, San Diego Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (La Jolla, California) |
| Status | Recruiting |
| Started | June 1, 2025 |
| Main results expected | December 1, 2025 |
| Study ends | December 1, 2025 |
| Registry record updated | June 17, 2025 |
| Trial ID | NCT06784882 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
Is this trial a fit for you?
✓Likely a good fit
Adults (≥18 years) undergoing a primary, unilateral outpatient total knee arthroplasty who are planned for a single‑injection adductor canal block, weigh more than 50 kg, and do not have exclusion criteria such as chronic high‑dose opioid use or local anesthetic allergy.
✕Probably not a fit
Patients with chronic opioid dependence, neuromuscular deficits in the surgical limb, planned inpatient admission, allergy to amide local anesthetics, or those unable to be contacted during the treatment period are unlikely to benefit from this protocol.
A plain-English reading of the study's rules. Only the study team can confirm whether you qualify.
What this trial studies
This single-center, randomized pilot at UC San Diego will enroll adults having primary, unilateral outpatient total knee arthroplasty and randomize them to either a single‑injection adductor canal block alone or the same single injection plus a 5‑day continuous perineural infusion of ropivacaine via an OnQ pump. Pain scores (numeric rating scale), opioid consumption, and physical therapy milestones will be recorded from postoperative day 0 through day 7. Eligibility excludes chronic opioid users above a modest threshold, patients with neuromuscular deficits of the surgical limb, planned admission after surgery, pregnancy, and allergy to amide local anesthetics. The goal is to see if the continuous infusion provides better early analgesia and functional progress than a single injection alone.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, adding a continuous adductor canal block could reduce postoperative pain, decrease opioid requirements, and help patients reach physical therapy goals sooner after knee replacement.
How similar studies have gone: Prior studies of continuous peripheral nerve infusions for knee arthroplasty have shown improved short‑term pain control and reduced opioid use in some reports, but results are mixed and outpatient‑specific evidence remains limited.
Who can join: the full rules
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: 1. Adult participants of at least 18 years of age 2. Undergoing a primary, unilateral, total knee arthroplasty 3. Planned single-injection adductor canal nerve block 4. Weight \> 50 kg (to minimize the risk of local anesthetic toxicity) Exclusion Criteria: 1. chronic opioid or tramadol use: daily oxycodone equivalents \> 20 mg for \> 4 weeks 2. neuro-muscular deficit of the surgical limb 3. moderate pain (NRS \> 3) in an anatomic location other than the surgical site 4. planned hospital admission following surgery 5. history of opioid misuse 6. those who lack capacity to complete informed consent 7. inability to contact the investigators during the treatment period, and vice versa (e.g., lack of telephone access) 8. incarceration 9. pregnancy 10. allergy to amide local anesthetics
Where it's running
-
University of California, San Diego
La Jolla, California, United States Recruiting
Study contacts
- Study coordinator: Rodney A Gabriel, MD
- Email: ragabriel@health.ucsd.edu
- Phone: 858-663-7747
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How to take part
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Check the official listing on ClinicalTrials.gov for the latest contact details and recruitment status.
- Contact the study coordinator or principal investigator to ask for pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.