Knee surgery pain relief: could a simple injection replace opioids?
NCT ID NCT06112548
First seen Jun 27, 2026 · Last updated Jun 27, 2026
Summary
This study tested whether injecting a mix of painkillers (bupivacaine, ketorolac, and epinephrine) around the knee during total knee replacement surgery could reduce pain and improve function better than standard pain medicines alone. Eighty adults with end-stage knee arthritis took part. The goal was to see if this approach lowers pain scores, reduces opioid use, and leads to fewer complications after surgery.
What this could mean
Our plain-language read of the trial. This is informational only, not medical advice or a prediction.
- Active substance
- bupivacaine, ketorolac, epinephrine, paracetamol
- What this could lead to
- If it works, this could offer a better way to manage pain after knee replacement, reducing the need for strong opioids and improving early recovery.
- What could go wrong
- This is a small, completed study with 80 people, so results may not apply to everyone. The injection adds drugs that can have side effects like allergic reactions or bleeding risks.
This is an AI summary of the original study and may miss details. Read our disclaimer.
Study facts
What this study's own registry entry says, in plain language.
- Phase
-
Not a phased trial
Phase numbers describe drug development. The registry uses this when they do not apply, as it does for trials of devices, procedures or behaviour changes, and for observational studies.
- Participants
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80 people
The number who actually took part.
- Started
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Mar 2024
- Finished
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Nov 2025
- Lead sponsor
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Other sponsor
The registry's catch-all category, for sponsors it does not file as a company, a government agency, or a research network.
Who can take part
This study's own entry requirements. Only the study team can say for certain whether you qualify.
- Ages
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50 to 85 years
- Sex
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Anyone
- Healthy volunteers
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Accepted
You do not need to have the condition being studied to take part.
Show the full entry requirements Hide the full entry requirements
Copied word for word from the study's registry entry, so the wording is the study team's rather than ours.
Inclusion Criteria: * all patients with end-stage arthritis of the knee going primary unilateral total knee arthroplasty. Exclusion Criteria: * inflammatory and secondary arthritis of the knee. * Patients who are allergic to one or more of the drugs used in the injections. * Patients who are already taking opioids for whatever reason or have a history of addiction. * BMI less than 20 and more than 35. * patients with intra-operative complications that would affect the outcomes measurement. * Patients who are going through complex primary or revision TKA. * Pregnancy, renal or liver failure. * Patients who are classified as grade 3 or more according to ASA.
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Conditions
The condition(s) this trial relates to.
As listed by the trial registrant
The condition terms exactly as the trial's registrant entered them.
Contacts and locations
Locations
-
Damascus university
Damascus, Syria
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