Pros and cons of an adductor canal block for postoperative analgesia in a pediatric patient after patella fracture fixation: a case report

In children, peripheral nerve blocks are usually safe with a low incidence of complications, but they remain underutilized. As part of multimodal analgesia, adductor canal block (ACB) can provide pain relief and improve functional recovery postoperatively without significant side effects. We report a successful ultrasound (US)-guided single-shot adductor canal block for postoperative analgesia following open patella fixation in a 10-year-old patient. Future pediatric surgical pain management studies should be aimed at defining the optimal dosage of local anesthetic for US-guided blocks and addition of a proximal sciatic nerve block in children undergoing knee surgery.