As total knee arthroplasty incidence rates increase, anesthesiologists have refined the related anesthesia and analgesia techniques, according to a study published in Local and Regional Anesthesia.
Zachary Turnbull, MD, of New York City-based Weill Cornell Medical College, and other anesthesiologists authored a review of anesthesiology's current and future state.
Here's what you should know.
1. General anesthesia was primarily used in TKA procedures in the past, but regional anesthesia has emerged in recent years.
2. Several studies show regional anesthetics can improve patient outcomes, with particular gains made in intraoperative blood loss, length of stay and patient mortality.
3. Multimodal analgesia is also emerging as a viable approach. The researchers argue that multimodal analgesia improves "perioperative pain control and minimizes systemic narcotic consumption."
4. These new anesthesia options have allowed for increased patient recovery rates.