A recent study has shown that local anesthesia delivered through a catheter in the joint may be more beneficial than traditional opioids, such as morphine and oxycodone, for the management of pain following knee replacement surgery. Researchers administered either bupivacaine, a common analgesic, or normal saline through a catheter in the joint of 150 knee-replacement patients. The catheters released fluid for two days following surgery. Patients were asked to complete questionnaires on the day of surgery, twice each day until discharge, and at four-week follow-up. Patients who received bupivacaine reported the least pain and the lowest narcotic consumption.
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