Purpose: The purpose of this study was to assess the effectiveness of periarticular multidrug infiltration (PMDI) and compare it with that of epidural catheter use.
Methods: Fifty-eight patients (58 joints) who underwent total knee arthroplasty were included in this single-center, prospective, parallel, randomized, controlled trial. Preoperatively, patients were randomly categorized into the PMDI and epidural catheter groups. We evaluated postoperative pain (visual analog scale (VAS) and narcotic consumption), functional outcomes (range of motion (ROM) of knee flexion, the day patients could perform the straight-leg raising (SLR) test, and day of starting cane use), and laboratory data (white blood cell (WBC) and C-reactive protein (CRP)).
Results: There was no significant difference in the VAS score, ROM of knee flexion, the day patients could do SLR, and the day of starting cane use between the PMDI and epidural catheter groups. However, the PMDI group could perform SLR on a postoperative day (POD) 1 (p < 0.05). WBC level on POD 1 was significantly higher in the PMDI group (p < 0.05), whereas the CRP levels on POD 1 (p < 0.01), 3 (p < 0.01), and 5 (p < 0.01) were significantly lower in the PMDI group than in the epidural catheter group. The frequency of side effects was not significantly different between the groups.
Conclusion: PMDI was as effective as epidural catheter use for pain control. A higher percentage of patients who underwent PMDI could perform SLR on POD 1; therefore, the functional recovery was earlier in the PMDI group than in the epidural catheter group. PMDI may suppress inflammation in the whole body because of steroids.
Keywords: epidural catheter; periarticular multidrug infiltration; total knee arthroplasty; visual analog pain scale.