Proximal Spread in Adductor Canal Block(ACB) (ACB)

May 12, 2026 updated by: Müge Çakırca, Ankara Etlik City Hospital

The Impact of Injection Level on the Proximal Spread of Local Anesthetic and Clinical Outcomes in Adductor Canal Block

This prospective, randomized clinical study is designed to evaluate the effects of two different injection levels of adductor canal block (ACB) on the proximal spread of local anesthetic and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty. The study will be conducted at Ankara Etlik City Hospital and will include a total of 68 patients. All cases are limited to unilateral elective knee replacement surgeries performed under spinal anesthesia. In this study, the comparison will be based on the application of adductor canal block at two distinct injection levels. In both groups, blocks will be performed under ultrasound (USG) guidance using the same technical principles and standardized conditions; in the first group, the block will be administered at the level where the vasto-adductor membrane is first visualized, while in the second group, it will be performed at the level where the adductor longus ends. The type, concentration, and volume of local anesthetic used in both groups will be standardized as 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine. The groups will be compared in terms of the proximal spread of the local anesthetic based on the injection level, the area of spread at the apex of the iliopectineal fossa, the involvement of the femoral nerve, the incidence of postoperative falls, and analgesic consumption.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Active, not recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

This prospective, randomized clinical trial is designed to evaluate the effects of two distinct injection levels of ultrasound-guided adductor canal block (ACB) on the proximal spread of local anesthetic and clinical outcomes in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty (TKA). The study will be conducted at Ankara Etlik City Hospital with a total of 68 patients. All cases are limited to unilateral elective knee replacement surgeries performed under spinal anesthesia. Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria Inclusion criteria are defined as patients aged 18 years and older, with an ASA (American Society of Anesthesiologists) physical status of I-III, scheduled for elective unilateral TKA under spinal anesthesia. Exclusion criteria include patients scheduled for bilateral knee arthroplasty, known allergy to local anesthetics, chronic pain syndromes or regular opioid use, peripheral neuropathy or neurological diseases affecting femoral nerve function, coagulopathy or use of anticoagulant therapy, infection at the injection site, and patients unable to provide written informed consent. Randomization and Intervention Patients will be randomized into two groups using the sealed envelope method. In Group 1, the ACB will be performed under ultrasound (USG) guidance at the level where the vasto-adductor membrane (VAM) is first visualized. In Group 2, the block will be performed at the level where the adductor longus muscle ends. All blocks will be administered by experienced anesthesiologists using a standardized dose of 20 mL 0.25% bupivacaine. Clinicians performing the block will not be involved in the postoperative data collection process. Procedure and Monitoring All patients will undergo standard monitoring, including electrocardiography (EKG), non-invasive arterial blood pressure, and peripheral oxygen saturation (SpO_2). Following the administration of spinal anesthesia according to clinical protocols, the ACB will be performed under USG guidance based on the randomization results. Standard care will be provided throughout the surgical and anesthetic management, and perioperative data will be recorded. Outcome Measures and Evaluation Following the block, the spread of the local anesthetic will be evaluated in real-time using ultrasound. The distance between the injection point and the highest proximal point of the anesthetic spread will be measured in centimeters. Additionally, the spread area of the local anesthetic at the level of the apex of the iliopectineal fossa will be recorded using the planimetric measurement tools of the USG device. The reach of the local anesthetic to the femoral nerve will also be assessed via USG. Postoperatively, patients will follow standard clinical monitoring. Motor block will be evaluated based on the incidence of postoperative falls (yes/no). Sensory block efficacy will be assessed through total analgesic consumption recorded within the first 24 hours postoperatively. All collected data will be recorded for statistical analysis and compared based on the injection levels.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
68

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • * Patients aged > 18 years.

    • ASA physical status classification I-III.
    • Patients scheduled for elective, unilateral total knee arthroplasty (TKA).
    • Planned administration of spinal anesthesia.
    • Ability to provide written informed consent.

Exclusion Criteria:Scheduled for bilateral knee arthroplasty.

  • Known hypersensitivity or allergy to local anesthetics.
  • History of chronic pain syndrome or regular opioid consumption.
  • Presence of peripheral neuropathy or neurological disorders affecting the femoral nerve.
  • Coagulopathy or ongoing anticoagulant therapy.
  • Active infection at the site of injection.
  • Inability or refusal to provide written informed consent.

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Other
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: Double

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Group 1: ACB at the proximal vasto-adductor membrane level (20 mL 0.25% bupivacaine)
Group 1: Patients receiving ultrasound-guided adductor canal block with 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine at the level where the vasto-adductor membrane is first visualized.
Drug: Comparison of Proximal Adductor Canal Block
In this study, patients were evaluated using two distinct approaches based on the evolution of anatomical definitions in recent literature: the proximal application, traditionally referred to as the adductor canal block but now more accurately defined as the 'Femoral Triangle Block' in current publications,
Active Comparator: Group 2: Level of the end of the adductor longus
Group 2: Patients receiving ultrasound-guided adductor canal block with 20 mL of 0.25% bupivacaine at the level where the adductor longus muscle ends.
Drug: Comparison True Distal Adductor Canal Block.
In this study, patients were evaluated using two distinct approaches based on the evolution of anatomical definitions in recent literature: the proximal application, traditionally referred to as the adductor canal block but now more accurately defined as the true 'Distal Adductor Canal Block' performed in accordance with contemporary anatomical criteria."

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Proximal spread of local anesthetic
Time Frame: The first postoperative hour
The primary objective of this study is to compare the proximal spread of local anesthetic following ultrasound-guided adductor canal block performed at two distinct injection levels. In the first group, the injection will be administered at the level where the vastoadductor membrane is first visualized ultrasonographically in the proximal region. In the second group, the injection will be performed at the level where the adductor magnus and sartorius muscles first intersect.In both patient groups, the area of local anesthetic spread at the apex of the iliopectineal fossa will be measured in $cm^2$ using ultrasonography. Additionally, the distance between the needle insertion point (injection level) and the apex of the iliopectineal fossa, as well as the distance from the needle insertion point to the most proximal point where the local anesthetic is ultrasonographically visualized, will be recorded in cm.
The first postoperative hour

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Pain Scores (Numeric Rating Scale)
Time Frame: post-op hours 6 and 24
Evaluation of NRS(Numeric Rating Scale) scores at the 6th and 24th postoperative hours.The Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) is a common subjective clinical tool that requires patients to quantify their pain intensity on a scale ranging from 0 to 10
post-op hours 6 and 24
Assessment of Motor Block
Time Frame: Postoperative 24th hours
Motor block and falls were evaluated at the 24th hour.Ambulation was assessed within the first 24 hours postoperatively. Successful ambulation was defined as the ability to walk without falling; patients who failed to ambulate or suffered a fall during the attempt were categorized as 'treatment failure'.
Postoperative 24th hours

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Ankara Etlik City Hospital

Publications and helpful links

The person responsible for entering information about the study voluntarily provides these publications. These may be about anything related to the study.

General Publications

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 7, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
June 1, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
April 7, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 12, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
May 19, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
May 19, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
May 12, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 2024-KAEK-40 (Other Identifier: Ankara Etlik City Hospital Clinical Research Ethics Committee)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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