Postoperative Pain After Total Knee Arthroplasty: A Prospective, Double-Blinded, Randomized Study Comparing Patient-Controlled Analgesia, Pericapsular Injection, and Femoral Nerve Block

Total knee arthroplasty involves extensive tissue trauma resulting in significant postoperative pain. When inadequately treated, pain intensifies the reflex responses that can lead to serious cardiopulmonary and renal complications hindering early intense physical therapy, the most influential factor in knee rehabilitation. This investigation compares the effectiveness of three different postoperative pain management modalities: (1) patient-controlled analgesic (PCA) pump alone (control), (2) femoral nerve block (FNB) with PCA, and (3) pericapsular injection of opioid/anesthetic combination (CAP) with PCA.