Papers of the Week

Adductor canal nerve block is useful for a range of knee surgeries, although the optimal injection location has not been definedUnfortunately, analgesia achieved using adductor canal block is sometimes accompanied by unwanted motor block WHAT THIS ARTICLE TELLS US THAT IS NEW: Proximal adductor canal injections were associated with lower first 24-h morphine consumption than when injections were more distalDecreases in quadriceps strength were similar whether the injection was made in a proximal, mid-, or distal adductor canal location BACKGROUND:: The ideal location for single-injection adductor canal block that maximizes analgesia while minimizing quadriceps weakness after painful knee surgery is unclear. This triple-blind trial compares ultrasound-guided adductor canal block injection locations with the femoral artery positioned medial (proximal adductor canal), inferior (mid-adductor canal), and lateral (distal adductor canal) to the sartorius muscle to determine the location that optimizes postoperative analgesia and motor function. The hypothesis was that distal adductor block has (1) a superior opioid-sparing effect and (2) preserved quadriceps strength, compared with proximal and mid-locations for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.