Medical Information Only. Always consult your healthcare provider before enrolling in any clinical trial.
Saphenous Nerve Block Versus Femoral Nerve Block for Total Knee Arthroplasty
NCT01333943 · View on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗
Study Summary
Currently, the regional anesthetic standard of care for total knee replacement surgery is combined spinal/epidural, with or without a femoral nerve block, or FNB. Lasting approximately 18 hours, the FNB works by numbing the femoral nerve (and its branches), which is the major nerve controlling the knee joint. The femoral nerve also provides movement and sensation. While this regional anesthetic technique offers significant postoperative pain relief, it is possible that it may cause muscle weakness and increase patients' recovery time. Hence there is a need for an alternative technique, one that may help minimize postoperative pain as effectively as the FNB, while not causing weakness of the quadriceps muscle. The saphenous nerve, a branch of the femoral nerve, provides sensation to the knee. Thus it is hypothesized that by "blocking" or anesthetizing the saphenous nerve with local anesthetic closer to where it branches off, the area around and below the knee will feel numb. Yet unlike with the FNB, the quadriceps muscle itself will still be able to function. Patients will be randomized to receive FNB or saphenous nerve block. Quadriceps strength will be tested using a dynamometer before surgery (baseline), 6-8 hours following anesthesia administration, and on postoperative days 1 and 2. It is hypothesized that patients who receive FNB will experience a 50% decrease in quadriceps strength compared to baseline.
Conditions Studied
Interventions
- PROCEDURE Study Group: Experimental
- PROCEDURE Control Group
Study Locations (1)
New York
- Hospital for Special Surgery — New York
Trial Details
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Enrollment Target | 94 participants |
| Start Date | 2011-03 |
| Est. Completion | 2011-11 |
| Phase | NA |
Interested in This Trial?
Always speak with your doctor before enrolling in a clinical trial.
Full Details on ClinicalTrials.gov ↗What the Registry Record Tells You About NCT01333943
The ClinicalTrials.gov registry entry for NCT01333943 describes a study currently listed as completed. It is categorized as NA, which is the standard way researchers label where a study sits along the investigational pathway from early safety work through later efficacy and post-marketing evaluation. The registered enrollment target is 94 participants, a figure that helps gauge the scale of data the investigators plan to collect. The listed sponsor is Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, which has 141 total studies on file at ClinicalTrials.gov, and sponsors are the parties responsible for study design, oversight, and regulatory filings.
The record links to 1 condition, with Total Knee Arthroplasty appearing as the primary indexed condition, and to 2 interventions — of which Study Group: Experimental is the first listed. Interventions can include drugs, devices, procedures, behavioral programs, or observational arms, and each is tracked as a separate registry field so that downstream queries can filter accurately. When a trial lists multiple interventions, it usually reflects a multi-arm design or a comparison protocol rather than a single treatment being tested in isolation. The brief summary published in the registry is the clearest source of protocol intent and should be read before drawing conclusions from any sidebar tags.
Geographic footprint matters for practical reasons: NCT01333943 reports 1 study location spanning 1 distinct geographic area — top geographies include New York. A larger site network tends to correlate with broader recruitment capacity, but it does not imply anything about study quality, and site-level enrollment status can diverge from the overall registry status shown above. Every data point on this page comes from the public ClinicalTrials.gov dataset and is reproduced here for reference only; it is not a medical recommendation, an endorsement of the sponsor, or an invitation to enroll. Verify current status, eligibility criteria, and contact details directly at ClinicalTrials.gov, and discuss any participation decision with your own healthcare provider.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is clinical trial NCT01333943 about?
NCT01333943 is a clinical study titled "Saphenous Nerve Block Versus Femoral Nerve Block for Total Knee Arthroplasty". Currently, the regional anesthetic standard of care for total knee replacement surgery is combined spinal/epidural, with or without a femoral nerve block, or FNB. Lasting approximately 18 hours, the FNB works by numbing the femoral nerve (and its branches), which is the major nerve controlling the k...
What is the current status of trial NCT01333943?
This trial is currently completed. It is a NA study. The enrollment target is 94 participants. The study started on 2011-03. Estimated completion is 2011-11.
What conditions does trial NCT01333943 study?
This clinical trial studies the following conditions: Total Knee Arthroplasty. These conditions were identified from the trial registry and reflect the primary focus areas of the research.
What interventions are being tested in trial NCT01333943?
The interventions under investigation include: Study Group: Experimental (PROCEDURE), Control Group (PROCEDURE). Each intervention is being evaluated for safety and efficacy as part of this clinical study.
Who is sponsoring clinical trial NCT01333943?
This trial is sponsored by Hospital for Special Surgery, New York, which has 141 total clinical trials registered on ClinicalTrials.gov. The sponsor is responsible for the study's design, funding, and regulatory compliance.
Where is trial NCT01333943 being conducted?
This trial has 1 study location across New York. Contact the study sites directly through ClinicalTrials.gov for enrollment availability.
Learn More About Clinical Trials
How Clinical Trials Work
Understand phases 1-4, trial design, randomization, and the informed consent process.
Patient Rights in Clinical Trials
Your rights as a participant: consent, withdrawal, privacy, and who to contact.
Finding the Right Clinical Trial
A practical guide to searching trials, understanding eligibility, and evaluating options.
All Guides
Browse our complete library of clinical trial educational resources.
Read our methodology — how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.