Evidence map›Paper›PMID 41013642›Full record

ArticleJournal of orthopaedic surgery and research2025

Effects of obturator and femoral nerve blocks on pain and kinematic gait parameters in patients undergoing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty: a retrospective cohort study.

Tianxiang Yang, Yunpeng Hei, Xueqi Liu, Jun Li, He Shang, Tao Ma, Desheng Chen

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of orthopaedic surgery and research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

7 authors.

Tianxiang Yang *Third Clinical Medical College of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, P.R. China.
Yunpeng Hei *Department of Anesthesiology, People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 700002, P.R. China.
Xueqi LiuThird Clinical Medical College of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, P.R. China.
Jun LiThird Clinical Medical College of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, P.R. China.
He ShangThird Clinical Medical College of Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 750004, P.R. China.
Tao MaDepartment of Orthopedics, People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 700002, P.R. China.
Desheng ChenDepartment of Orthopedics, People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Ningxia Medical University, Yinchuan, 700002, P.R. China. charlescds@163.com.

Funding

2024 Key Scientific and Technological Achievement Transformation Project of the Autonomous Region 2024CJE09046Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project of Ningxia Overseas Students NRS2021-5Key Research and Development Program of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 2021BEG03049National Natural Science Foundation of China 82060408Ningxia Clinical Medicine First-class Discipline Open Subject NXYLXK2017A05Open Research Fund of Ningxia Clinical Research Institute, People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region 2023KFZD01
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundPostoperative data indicate that 15-30% of patients undergoing unicompartmental knee arthroplasty (UKA) experience moderate-to-severe pain during the early recovery period, impeding rehabilitation. Due to the complex innervation in the knee, continuous femoral nerve block (FNB) is often administered but provides incomplete analgesia. Although the analgesic effects of nerve blocks are well studied, less is understood about their effects on postoperative rehabilitation and gait kinematics. Thus, in this study, we aimed to investigate the impact of ultrasound-guided obturator nerve block (ONB) combined with FNB on gait kinematics in patients undergoing UKA. This is the first study to quantify the biomechanical benefits of ONB combined with FNB in patients undergoing UKA by gait analysis.

methodsPatients undergoing UKA and admitted to the Department of Orthopedics, People's Hospital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region between March 2024 and December 2024 were retrospectively enrolled. The patients were allocated based on their postoperative nerve block procedure into the FNB or FNB + ONB group, with 30 cases in each group. The FNB group underwent ultrasound-guided, single-shot FNB with catheterization, whereas the FNB + ONB group underwent additional ipsilateral ONB. Patient demographics, preoperative and postoperative visual analog scale (VAS) scores (at rest and during 30° knee flexion), adverse events, kinematic gait parameters, Knee Society Score, and range of motion were recorded.

resultsNo intergroup differences were observed in the preoperative VAS scores (P > 0.05). Both groups showed improved postoperative VAS scores (P < 0.05) with comparable resting VAS scores (P > 0.05). The FNB + ONB group demonstrated significantly lower activity-associated VAS scores than did the FNB group (P < 0.05). Analgesic rescue needs and adverse event rates showed no intergroup differences (P > 0.05). The FNB + ONB group exhibited superior postoperative Knee Society Scores, greater range of motion, and reduced kinematic gait abnormalities compared with the FNB group (all, P < 0.05).

conclusionONB combined with FNB provides superior postoperative analgesia compared with FNB alone in patients undergoing UKA, particularly during activity, thereby facilitating early rehabilitation and mitigating postoperative gait disturbances.

Indexed as

Arthroplasty, Replacement, KneeFemoral NerveGaitNerve BlockObturator NervePostoperative PainAgedBiomechanical PhenomenaCohort StudiesFemaleHumansKnee JointMaleMiddle AgedPain MeasurementRetrospective StudiesFemoral nerve blockGaitObturator nerve blockPainUnicompartmental knee arthroplasty

Identifiers

PMID41013642
PMCPMC12465809

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC-ND
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.