Spinal anesthesia with bupivacaine and fentanyl associated with femoral nerve block in postoperative analgesia in the reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: To evaluate postoperative analgesia and the need for tramadol in patients undergoing reconstruction of the anterior cruciate ligament with spinal anesthesia, fentanyl and femoral nerve block. METHODS: 166 patients were divided into four groups (G). All patients received spinal anesthesia with 15mg of isobaric bupivacaine at 0.5%. In the G2 and G3 groups, 25µg of fentanyl was associated with bupivacaine and in groups G3 and G4 femoral nerve block was associated with 100mg of bupivacaine at 0.5%, without vasoconstrictor. Patients received timed dipyrone and ketoprofen and were instructed to request tramadol if the pain was ≥4 on the numerical scale. After 6, 12 and 24 hours of spinal anesthesia, the score was recorded on the numerical scale, the request of tramadol and adverse events. RESULTS: Mean pain scores at 6 and 24 hours were not different. In the 12-hour evaluation, there was a difference only in G4 in relation to G1 (p=0.01). Tramadol was requested by 46.7% in G1, 52.9% in G2, 18.6% in G3 and 36.4% in G4 (p=0.009), with a difference between G1 and G3 and also between G2 and G3. CONCLUSION: The association of spinal anesthesia and femoral nerve block in G4 provided lower pain scores in the evaluation at 12 hours after anesthesia. On the other hand, the highest indices were observed in G2, spinal anesthesia with fentanyl. Pain scores at 6 and 12 hours were similar. The highest consumption of analgesics occurred in those who reported more pain in G2.