Continuous femoral nerve blocks versus adductor canal blocks for anterior cruciate ligament surgery: a double-blind, superiority randomized controlled trial
Primary result · Average NRS pain scoresResult — go to the resultEstimated overall treatment effect −0.31 NRS points 95% CI −1.39 to 0.77Authors' conclusion
CFNB was not superior to CACB on the primary pain outcome over 48 hours.
Study context
- Population
- Adults undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction57 completed
- Participants
- 60 adults
- Comparison
- Continuous femoral nerve block vs continuous adductor canal block
- Continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB)n = 28
- Continuous adductor canal block (CACB)n = 29reference
- Primary endpoint
- Average numeric rating scale (NRS) pain scores (linear mixed-effects repeated-measures model)
- Follow-up
- 48 hours
Methodological detailssingle-center, double-blind, prospective, superiority
- Single-center
- Double-blind
- Prospective
- Superiority
Primary result
Average NRS pain scores · over 48 hours
Estimated overall treatment effect
−0.31 NRS points
95% CI −1.39 to 0.77
P = 0.58
As reported in the abstract
Secondary outcomes
| Outcome | CFNB | CACB | Estimate | P value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Current NRS pain score · POD0Lower for CFNB | (95% CI 6.44×10-6 to 2.00) | P = 0.02 | ||
| Patients requiring >50 MME (exploratory analysis) · 48 hoursExploratory analysis | 5/28 | 13/29 | (95% CI 0.08–0.93) | P = 0.045 |
- Patients requiring >50 morphine milligram equivalents (MME) (exploratory analysis) — Absolute risk difference
- 0.27
- Patients requiring >50 MME (exploratory analysis): absolute risk difference 95% CI −0.08 to 0.54
Continuous passive motion (CPM) use or compliance, bolus volume, QoR-15
- No differences
Original publication
Continuous femoral nerve blocks versus adductor canal blocks for anterior cruciate ligament surgery: a double-blind, superiority randomized controlled trial. Reg Anesth Pain Med. Published 21 July 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →