Arthroscopy : the journal of arthroscopic & related surgery : official publication of the Arthroscopy Association of North America and the International Arthroscopy Association
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Evaluation of postoperative bupivacaine infusion for pain management after anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction.
Postoperative pain control has received increasing attention by health care providers in the new millennium. In fact, pain was called the "sixth vital sign" by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) in 2001. The continued challenge of effective, safe analgesia in the outpatient setting has promoted the use of various devices designed to deliver local anesthetic directly to the surgical site. We endeavored to evaluate the efficacy of one such device currently in use. ⋯ The data suggest some element of placebo benefit at median pain ratings but a protective effect of the bupivacaine at maximum pain levels.