The goal of this study was to compare fentanyl based spinal anesthesia to IPACK Block-based spinal anesthesia during knee arthroscopy.~Patients and Methods: The study enrolled sixty patients with ASA (I-II) ranging in age from 25 to 60 years old after receiving ethical committee permission and written informed consent from patients. They were divided into two groups: group F (30 patients) received spinal anesthesia using hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% (3ml) with fentanyl (25ug) and group I (30 patients) received spinal anesthesia using hyperbaric bupivacaine 0.5% (3ml) with IPACK Block using plain bupivacaine 0.5% (15ml). Results: In the first 4 hours postoperatively, there were no variations in VAS scores between the two groups; however, following 4 hours and over the next 12 hours, Group I, VAS scores were lower. The amount of morphine used overall was lower in Group I, which took longer than Group F to reach initial rescue analgesia. The level of patient satisfaction 48 hours after surgery was higher in group I than in group F.
Postoperative analgesia is provided by local anesthesia combined with intrathecal narcotics. In addition, for the first 24 hours, this combination has a parenteral opioid sparing effect. However, despite its benefits, this method has been associated to an increased incidence of urine retention, nausea, and vomiting, as well as pruritus. A new localized analgesic approach called as IPACK (infiltration between the knee capsule and the popliteal artery) has been employed in practice.