scholarly journals Relationship of epidural patient-controlled analgesia with postoperative bleeding after unilateral total knee arthroplasty: a propensity score-matching analysis

2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kyung-Don Hahm ◽  
Seok-Joon Jin ◽  
Seong-Sik Cho ◽  
Jihoon Park ◽  
Han Park ◽  
...  

AbstractAlthough epidural patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) to control postoperative pain after total knee arthroplasty (TKA), the relationship of epidural PCA with postoperative bleeding remains controversial. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the effect of epidural and intravenous PCA on postoperative bleeding in patients undergoing unilateral TKA. Total of 2467 patients who underwent TKA were divided to intravenous PCA (n = 2339) or epidural PCA (n = 128) group. After 1:1 propensity score-matching, 212 patients were analyzed to assess the associations between the perioperative blood loss and epidural PCA between the groups. Mean postoperative blood loss was significantly greater in epidural PCA than in intravenous PCA (900.9 ± 369.1 mL vs. 737.8 ± 410.1 mL; P = 0.007). The incidence of red blood cell (RBC) administration (> 3 units) was significantly higher in epidural PCA than in intravenous PCA (30.2% vs. 16.0%; OR 2.5; 95% CI 1.201–5.205; P = 0.014). Epidural PCA may be strongly related to postoperative bleeding and the incidence of RBC transfusion of more than 3 units after unilateral TKA, as compared to intravenous PCA. Therefore, the use of epidural PCA may be carefully considered for postoperative pain management in TKA.

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Sachin Seetharam ◽  
Sydney Keller ◽  
Mary Ziemba-Davis ◽  
R. Michael Meneghini MD

Background and Hypothesis: Tranexamic acid (TXA) decreases blood loss in total knee arthroplasty (TKA). However, TXA evoked pain in rats by inhibiting GABA and glycine receptors in the spinal dorsal horn, and caused cellular death in ex vivo and in vitro human periarticular tissues exposed to clinical concentrations of TXA. We evaluated inpatient postoperative pain and blood loss in TKA performed with and without TXA. Project Methods: 105 consecutive cemented TKAs without TXA were compared to 72 consecutive cemented TKAs with TXA. Procedures were performed by a single surgeon using identical perioperative medical and pain-control protocols. Outcomes included: average of q2-4 hour pain scores during the first 24 hours after PACU discharge, average pain during remainder of stay, final pain score prior to discharge, time in minutes to first opioid after PACU discharge, total opioids in morphine equivalents (MEQs) during the first 24 hours after PACU discharge, average MEQs per remaining days of stay, and mean g/dL pre- to postoperative decrease in hemoglobin. Multivariate analyses accounted for 15 demographics and covariates. Results: The sex (p=0.393), age (p=0.784), and BMI (p=0.930) of the two cohorts were similar. Mean pain during the first 24 hours was greater (4.1 vs. 3.2, p=0.001), MEQs consumed during the first 24 hours were greater (45 vs. 37, p=0.069), and time to first opioid medication was shorter (326 vs. 414, p=0.023) in patients who received TXA. The decrease in hemoglobin was less in patients who received TXA (-2.2 vs. -2.7, p<0.001).   Conclusion and Potential Impact: Our hypothesis based on animal and laboratory studies that TXA may increase early postoperative pain was confirmed by three metrics. Consistent with the effective life of TXA, pain and opioid consumption after 24 hours did not differ based on TXA use. Further work is warranted to investigate the nature consequences associated with TXA, relative to its demonstrated benefits for blood conservation.  


QJM ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 113 (Supplement_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
A T A Elkhouly ◽  
M A Bassiony ◽  
M M N Elshafey ◽  
K M Khalaf ◽  
A M Alansary

Abstract Introduction Effective postoperative pain control in total knee arthroplasty is important, especially with starting physiotherapy and early ambulation, which enhances recovery and reduces hospital length of stay. The risk of postoperative complications, such as deep venous thrombosis and nosocomial infections, has also been shown to decrease with early mobilization. Aim The aim of this study is to assess the analgesic efficacy of epidural bupivacaine compared with intravenous patient controlled analgesia (opioid and NSAIDs) during postoperative period in total knee arthroplasty. Patients Forty patients, ranging in age from 20 to 70 yr, scheduled to receive total knee replacements with spinal anesthesia were randomly assigned to this study. Methods patients received epidural bupivacaine 0.125% alone in (group epa) or iv nalbuphine 50mg, ketorolac 60mg via pca device. The quality of postoperative analgesia was assessed by the anesthesiologist according to Visual Analogue Score (VAS), Cortisol level 24 hours preoperative and 2 hours postoperative for stress response. Results The efficacy of both epidural Bupivacaine and i.v nalbuphine & ketorolac via PCA device in controlling pain after total Knee arthroplasty however PCA was slightly less efficient especialy during the 12 hr after surgery. We found that one of the main draw backs of epidural analgesia using bupivacaine were arterial hypotension and urinary retention which required catheterization of many patients for voiding of urine. Results were comparable between the 2 groups and were against group EPA, Serum cortisol levels were elevated 2h post-surgery in all patients. This elevation is in accordance with the well-established stress response to surgery. Furthermore, cortisol levels were significantly less elevated in the group EPA, compared with group PCA. Conclusion The results of the study revealed both Epidural bupivacaine and systemic opioids combined with NASID via PCA device are effective of pain control post TKA.


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