Knee ArthroscopyNCT06701175
Knee Arthroscopy for Pain Control
A study testing Nerve Block and Portal Anesthesia in people with Knee Arthroscopy, run by University of Alabama at Birmingham.
Trial summary
This study aims to determine the effectiveness of an anterolateral genicular nerve block and portal anesthesia in controlling pain in the perioperative period after knee arthroscopy. Opioid consumption, the use of non-opioid medications, complication rate, and sleep quality will also be measured. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 19 to 89 years
- Conditions the study is for
- Knee Arthroscopy
- What is being tested?
- Nerve Block and Portal Anesthesia
- Type of treatment
- Injection or infusion, Surgery or procedure
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 0 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- Dec 2025to Oct 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- None posted in the registry
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 19 to 89 years
- All sexes
- No healthy volunteers
- Adult, Older adult
Who may be able to join
- skeletally mature patients with indications for knee arthroscopy
Who cannot join
- include patients with previous knee surgery on the operative side
- opioid use within six weeks before surgery that is deemed to be chronic or excessive
- gabapentin use within six weeks before surgery
- diagnosis of chronic pain, fibromyalgia, or other somatosensory disorder(s)
- history of radicular pain or neuropathy in the operative limb
- patients with cancer
About this study
Official title: Anterolateral Geniculate Nerve Block and Portal Anesthesia in Knee Arthroscopy for Pain Control: A Randomized Control Trial
This study aims to determine the effectiveness of an anterolateral genicular nerve block and portal anesthesia in controlling pain in the perioperative period after knee arthroscopy. Opioid consumption, the use of non-opioid medications, complication rate, and sleep quality will also be measured.
Read the detailed description
Orthopaedic surgeries are some of the most painful operations to recover from, especially when involving cruciate ligaments. Because of this, orthopaedic surgeons have worked to optimize postoperative pain management that provides the best relief. Opioids traditionally were the primary medication for pain control during the perioperative period, however, with the current opioid epidemic and opioids being the leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States, physicians have transitioned to multimodal pain control which has shown to provide better pain control. In cases involving knee arthroscopy, pain management options include variations of nerve blocks, medications, surgical techniques, and postoperative activity.
An anterolateral genicular nerve block has been proposed that focuses on decreasing postoperative pain in the lateral aspect of the knee by targeting the lateral retinacular nerve, the nerve to the vastus lateralis, and the articular branch of the nerve to the vastus intermedius. Adductor canal blocks and intraarticular injections are known methods of providing postoperative pain control, but due to their risks, they may be inappropriate for knee arthroscopy. An anterolateral geniculate nerve block targets sensory, terminal nerve fibers outside the joint capsule, theoretically avoiding the risks of large nerve irritation and chondrotoxicity. Postoperative portal injections are another form of analgesia provided after knee arthroscopy and have been demonstrated to be equally effective in controlling pain as intraarticular injections one hour postoperatively. Otherwise, portal injections in knee arthroscopy have not been extensively studied in the literature.
Patients will be sent home after surgery with a survey to be completed at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours and 1 week. The survey will inquire about the period from the prior survey to the current survey and will evaluate pain via Visual Analog Score, opioid consumption, non-opioid medication use, sleep, and intervention complications. Patients will be called at 12 and 48 hours and 1 week as reminders to complete the survey.
- Conditions
- Knee Arthroscopy
- Being tested
- Nerve Block, Portal Anesthesia
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Nerve BlockProcedure or surgery
anterolateral geniculate nerve block
Portal AnesthesiaProcedure or surgery
portal anesthesia
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| No Intervention | No intervention | Patients will receive no intervention |
| Nerve Block | Active comparator | Patients in the anterolateral geniculate nerve block group will receive 20 cc of 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine distributed evenly between two injection sites by an 18G or 21G long needle. After completion of knee arthroscopy, the first injection is targeted at 2 fingerbreadths superior to the superolateral aspect of the patella. The needle is inserted down to the femur, pulled back slightly, and the surrounding area is infiltrated with 10 cc of anesthetic. The second injection is targeted approximately 2 to 3 fingerbreadths laterally to the first injection and 2 to 3 fingerbreadths proximal to the lateral epicondyle in line with the lateral femur. Once again, the needle is inserted down until bone is encountered and then slightly retracted 1 to 2 mm before infiltration with the remaining 10 cc of anesthetic. Receives: Procedure: Nerve Block |
| Portal Anesthesia | Active comparator | Patients in the portal anesthesia group will also receive 20 cc of 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine distributed evenly between portal sites. After completion of knee arthroscopy, portal tracts are closed and the knee is ensured to be evacuated of residual fluid. An 18G or 21G long needle is then used to infiltrate each portal tract where the anesthetic will be delivered. Receives: Procedure: Portal Anesthesia |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Postoperative Pain Management
Collected variables will include average and worst pain (0-10 scale, higher values representing increased pain), dose frequency of prescribed opioid analgesics, consumption of prescribed nonopioid analgesics, the longest period of uninterrupted sleep (in hours; only obtained at 12 and 24 hours and 1 week), and the subjective quality of sleep (0-10 scale, higher values representing better sleep), and overall satisfaction with pain control (five-point Likert scale, higher values representing increased satisfaction). A Visual Analog Score will be used in the evaluation of pain.
Measured: 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours and 1 week post-op
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Nov 2024
- Study startDec 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completionAug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completionOct 2026 (estimated)
Why it stopped: The study never started.
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Publications (7)Papers the sponsor has linked to this study.
- Other trials for Knee ArthroscopyStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- More trials run by University of Alabama at BirminghamThe sponsor's other registered studies.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Model description
- Patients indicated for knee arthroscopy
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Enrolment
- 0 participants (actual)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- University of Alabama at Birmingham
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Aaron Casp, University of Alabama at Birmingham
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06701175
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- IRB-300013299
- Other IDs
- UAB
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 11 Nov 2024
- Last updated
- 9 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- No
Publications
Townshend D, Emmerson K, Jones S, Partington P, Muller S. Intra-articular injection versus portal infiltration of 0.5% bupivacaine following arthroscopy of the knee: a prospective, randomised double-blinded trial. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2009 May;91(5):601-3. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.91B5.21932.
PubMed 19407292Ghodki PS, Shalu PS, Sardesai SP. Ultrasound-guided adductor canal block versus femoral nerve block for arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament repair under general anesthesia. J Anaesthesiol Clin Pharmacol. 2018 Apr-Jun;34(2):242-246. doi: 10.4103/joacp.JOACP_172_17.
PubMed 30104837Howell R, Hill B, Hoffman C, Treacy E, Mulcahey MK. Peripheral Nerve Blocks for Surgery About the Knee. JBJS Rev. 2016 Dec 6;4(12):e1. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.RVW.16.00003.
PubMed 28060787Tyler TF, McHugh MP, Gleim GW, Nicholas SJ. The effect of immediate weightbearing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1998 Dec;(357):141-8. doi: 10.1097/00003086-199812000-00019.
PubMed 9917711Chunduri A, Aggarwal AK. Multimodal Pain Management in Orthopedic Surgery. J Clin Med. 2022 Oct 28;11(21):6386. doi: 10.3390/jcm11216386.
PubMed 36362617Paul RW, Szukics PF, Brutico J, Tjoumakaris FP, Freedman KB. Postoperative Multimodal Pain Management and Opioid Consumption in Arthroscopy Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review. Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil. 2021 Dec 17;4(2):e721-e746. doi: 10.1016/j.asmr.2021.09.011. eCollection 2022 Apr.
PubMed 35494281Meissner W, Mescha S, Rothaug J, Zwacka S, Goettermann A, Ulrich K, Schleppers A. Quality improvement in postoperative pain management: results from the QUIPS project. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2008 Dec;105(50):865-70. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2008.0865. Epub 2008 Dec 12.
PubMed 19561807
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 9 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Anterolateral Geniculate Nerve Block and Portal Anesthesia in Knee Arthroscopy for Pain Control: A Randomized Control Trial
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT06701175
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- IRB-300013299
- Conditions
- Knee Arthroscopy
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- WithdrawnReason stopped: The study never started.
- Enrolment
- 0 participants (actual)
- Lead sponsor
- University of Alabama at BirminghamUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- Dec 2025 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- Aug 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- Oct 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 22 Nov 2024 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to determine the effectiveness of an anterolateral genicular nerve block and portal anesthesia in controlling pain in the perioperative period after knee arthroscopy. Opioid consumption, the use of non-opioid medications, complication rate, and sleep quality will also be measured.
Detailed description
Orthopaedic surgeries are some of the most painful operations to recover from, especially when involving cruciate ligaments. Because of this, orthopaedic surgeons have worked to optimize postoperative pain management that provides the best relief. Opioids traditionally were the primary medication for pain control during the perioperative period, however, with the current opioid epidemic and opioids being the leading cause of accidental deaths in the United States, physicians have transitioned to multimodal pain control which has shown to provide better pain control. In cases involving knee arthroscopy, pain management options include variations of nerve blocks, medications, surgical techniques, and postoperative activity.
An anterolateral genicular nerve block has been proposed that focuses on decreasing postoperative pain in the lateral aspect of the knee by targeting the lateral retinacular nerve, the nerve to the vastus lateralis, and the articular branch of the nerve to the vastus intermedius. Adductor canal blocks and intraarticular injections are known methods of providing postoperative pain control, but due to their risks, they may be inappropriate for knee arthroscopy. An anterolateral geniculate nerve block targets sensory, terminal nerve fibers outside the joint capsule, theoretically avoiding the risks of large nerve irritation and chondrotoxicity. Postoperative portal injections are another form of analgesia provided after knee arthroscopy and have been demonstrated to be equally effective in controlling pain as intraarticular injections one hour postoperatively. Otherwise, portal injections in knee arthroscopy have not been extensively studied in the literature.
Patients will be sent home after surgery with a survey to be completed at 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours and 1 week. The survey will inquire about the period from the prior survey to the current survey and will evaluate pain via Visual Analog Score, opioid consumption, non-opioid medication use, sleep, and intervention complications. Patients will be called at 12 and 48 hours and 1 week as reminders to complete the survey.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Treatment
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Single group
- Masking
- None (open label)
- Number of arms
- 3
- Model description
- Patients indicated for knee arthroscopy
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| No Intervention | No intervention | –Patients will receive no intervention |
| Nerve Block | Active comparator | Procedure: Nerve BlockPatients in the anterolateral geniculate nerve block group will receive 20 cc of 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine distributed evenly between two injection sites by an 18G or 21G long needle. After completion of knee arthroscopy, the first injection is targeted at 2 fingerbreadths superior to the superolateral aspect of the patella. The needle is inserted down to the femur, pulled back slightly, and the surrounding area is infiltrated with 10 cc of anesthetic. The second injection is targeted approximately 2 to 3 fingerbreadths laterally to the first injection and 2 to 3 fingerbreadths proximal to the lateral epicondyle in line with the lateral femur. Once again, the needle is inserted down until bone is encountered and then slightly retracted 1 to 2 mm before infiltration with the remaining 10 cc of anesthetic. |
| Portal Anesthesia | Active comparator | Procedure: Portal AnesthesiaPatients in the portal anesthesia group will also receive 20 cc of 0.25% bupivacaine with epinephrine distributed evenly between portal sites. After completion of knee arthroscopy, portal tracts are closed and the knee is ensured to be evacuated of residual fluid. An 18G or 21G long needle is then used to infiltrate each portal tract where the anesthetic will be delivered. |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 19 to 89 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Not accepted
- Age groups
- Adult, Older adult
Key inclusion criteria (1 listed)
- skeletally mature patients with indications for knee arthroscopy
Key exclusion criteria (6 listed)
- include patients with previous knee surgery on the operative side
- opioid use within six weeks before surgery that is deemed to be chronic or excessive
- gabapentin use within six weeks before surgery
- diagnosis of chronic pain, fibromyalgia, or other somatosensory disorder(s)
- history of radicular pain or neuropathy in the operative limb
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Nerve Blockanterolateral geniculate nerve block | Procedure or surgery | Nerve Block |
| Portal Anesthesiaportal anesthesia | Procedure or surgery | Portal Anesthesia |
Primary outcome
Postoperative Pain Management
Time frame: 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours and 1 week post-op
Collected variables will include average and worst pain (0-10 scale, higher values representing increased pain), dose frequency of prescribed opioid analgesics, consumption of prescribed nonopioid analgesics, the longest period of uninterrupted sleep (in hours; only obtained at 12 and 24 hours and 1 week), and the subjective quality of sleep (0-10 scale, higher values representing better sleep), and overall satisfaction with pain control (five-point Likert scale, higher values representing increased satisfaction). A Visual Analog Score will be used in the evaluation of pain.
Results and safety
The study was withdrawn before enrolling participants, so there are no results.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 9 Jan 2026.
- Background: PubMed 19407292Townshend D, Emmerson K, Jones S, Partington P, Muller S. Intra-articular injection versus portal infiltration of 0.5% bupivacaine following arthroscopy of the knee: a prospective, randomised double-blinded trial. J Bone Joint Surg Br. 2009 May;91(5):601-3. doi: 10.1302/0301-620X.91B5.21932.
- Background: PubMed 30104837Ghodki PS, Shalu PS, Sardesai SP. Ultrasound-guided adductor canal block versus femoral nerve block for arthroscopic anterior cruciate ligament repair under general anesthesia. J Anaesthesiol Clin Pharmacol. 2018 Apr-Jun;34(2):242-246. doi: 10.4103/joacp.JOACP_172_17.
- Background: PubMed 28060787Howell R, Hill B, Hoffman C, Treacy E, Mulcahey MK. Peripheral Nerve Blocks for Surgery About the Knee. JBJS Rev. 2016 Dec 6;4(12):e1. doi: 10.2106/JBJS.RVW.16.00003.
- Background: PubMed 9917711Tyler TF, McHugh MP, Gleim GW, Nicholas SJ. The effect of immediate weightbearing after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Clin Orthop Relat Res. 1998 Dec;(357):141-8. doi: 10.1097/00003086-199812000-00019.
- Background: PubMed 36362617Chunduri A, Aggarwal AK. Multimodal Pain Management in Orthopedic Surgery. J Clin Med. 2022 Oct 28;11(21):6386. doi: 10.3390/jcm11216386.
- Background: PubMed 35494281Paul RW, Szukics PF, Brutico J, Tjoumakaris FP, Freedman KB. Postoperative Multimodal Pain Management and Opioid Consumption in Arthroscopy Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review. Arthrosc Sports Med Rehabil. 2021 Dec 17;4(2):e721-e746. doi: 10.1016/j.asmr.2021.09.011. eCollection 2022 Apr.
- Background: PubMed 19561807Meissner W, Mescha S, Rothaug J, Zwacka S, Goettermann A, Ulrich K, Schleppers A. Quality improvement in postoperative pain management: results from the QUIPS project. Dtsch Arztebl Int. 2008 Dec;105(50):865-70. doi: 10.3238/arztebl.2008.0865. Epub 2008 Dec 12.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: No
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part. This study is not recruiting at the moment.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Nerve Block and Portal Anesthesia in people with Knee Arthroscopy, run by University of Alabama at Birmingham.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 1 inclusion and 6 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: withdrawn, as of the sponsor's last update on 9 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
The study was withdrawn before enrolling participants, so there are no results.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Postoperative Pain Management (time frame: 2, 4, 6, 12, 24, and 48 hours and 1 week post-op). It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
On the ClinicalTrials.gov record for NCT06701175, which also lists 7 linked publications.
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 9 Jan 2026; AzTrials last refreshed its copy on 28 Oct 2026.