Intraarticular tramadol plus pericapsular incisional bupivacaine provides better analgesia than intraarticular plus pericapsular incisional bupivacaine after outpatient arthroscopic partial meniscectomy

Postoperative analgesic effects of intraarticular tramadol plus periarticular bupivacaine, and intraarticular plus periarticular bupivacaine injections after day-case arthroscopic partial meniscectomy were compared. Seventy-four ASA I/II patients undergoing arthroscopic partial meniscectomy, performed by a single surgeon under general anesthesia were assigned in a randomized, double-blinded manner into two groups: Group TB (n = 41) received intraarticular 100 mg of tramadol in 20 ml normal saline and periarticular incisional injection of 10 ml bupivacaine 0.5%. Group BB (n = 33) received intraarticular 20 ml 0.25% and periarticular incisional 10 ml 0.5% bupivacaine injections. The injections were performed immediately after the portal closures. Pain was assessed with visual analog scale (VAS) at 0, 15, 30 min and at 1, 2, 4 h at rest and active 90° knee flexion by a blinded observer. The first additional analgesic requirement time was recorded. The patients were discharged the same day with a prescription for paracetamol as required, up to six tablets a day and questioned for analgesic use and pain score at 24 h. VAS scores at rest at 15, 30 min and at movement at 0, 15, 30 min were lower in group TB (P < 0.05). First time requiring additional analgesia was lower in group TB (17.1 ± 21.9, 33.8 ± 26.6) (P < 0.05) and total paracetamol dose at the end of 24 h was 1.2 ± 1.5 g in group BB and 0.9 ± 1.3 g in group TB (P < 0.05). Intraarticular tramadol plus periarticular bupivacaine combination provides better pain relief and less analgesic requirement following arthroscopic outpatient partial meniscectomy surgery.