Adductor canal catheter

Adductor canal catheter refers to a regional anesthesia technique and medical device setup used for the continuous delivery of local anesthetics, such as ropivacaine, to provide postoperative pain relief. Specifically studied by the University of British Columbia in the context of total knee arthroplasty (TKA), the technique involves placing a catheter within the adductor canal to target the saphenous nerve and other sensory branches. This approach aims to provide effective analgesia while minimizing motor blockade of the quadriceps muscle, thereby facilitating earlier patient mobilization compared to traditional femoral nerve blocks. In clinical trials (NCT02798835), this continuous infusion method was compared against single-injection adductor canal blocks to evaluate its non-inferiority in opioid consumption and pain scores.

Other names

Continuous adductor canal blockCACBAdductor canal catheterization