[Postoperative analgesia after surgery of the knee].

Abstract

This review of postoperative analgesia after knee surgery provides a practical approach to the problem. The patient can be hospitalized or undergo day surgery, with different techniques being available for each situation. For day surgery, the intra-articular administration of local anaesthetic and/or opioids, the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs can be used. During hospitalization patient controlled analgesia, epidural analgesia and peripheral nerve blocks as lumbar plexus, femoral or sciatic nerve block can be proposed. It must be emphasized that a combined approach using these different techniques may be useful in order to offer better analgesia and avoid some side effects. Each technique is described with advantages, side effects and practical usage its. The choice, in each professional environment, must be the best analgesic technique which can be performed safely.