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NCT Number: NCT07158736

Genicular Nerve Block for Knee Pain in the ED

Patient with atraumatic knee pain without a large knee effusion on x-ray will be randomized to receive either a genicular nerve block (GNB) or standard of care in the emergency department.

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Key information

Conditions

Knee Pain

Age range

18 year and older

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Interventional

Phase

Not applicable

Primary location

HUP Cedar, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States

Loading trial locations.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: No

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

  • Atraumatic knee pain
  • >17 years age
  • X-ray of the knee obtained in the ED
  • Initial pain score (numeric rating scale) 5-10

Exclusion criteria

  • Fracture or dislocation on x-ray
  • large knee joint effusion identified on x-ray
  • allergy or contraindication to local anesthetics
  • History of local anesthetic systemic toxicity after receiving local anesthetics
  • Pregnancy
  • Incarcerated
  • History of knee replacement of affected knee
  • Concern for septic joint
  • Overlying cellulitis
  • Hemodynamic instability
  • Altered mental status or inability to consent for procedure.

Treatment and study plan

Genicular nerve block with bupivacaine and corticosteroids

Procedure

genicular nerve block with ideal body-weight dosing of bupivacaine 0.5% with 4 mg dexamethasone

Standard of care

Other

This involves standard of care pain relief for patients who do not receive the genicular nerve block for knee pain, such as acetaminophen, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and opioids.

Primary outcomes

  1. Pain level

    Time frame: 1 hour post-enrollment

    Measured by numeric rating scale: 0 (minimum value) - 10 (maximum value)

Secondary outcomes

  1. Difference in Duration of Analgesia

    Time frame: 24 hours

    Patients will be called back to assess their pain levels

  2. Difference in AP-POQ-RED score

    Time frame: 1 hour after enrollment

    9 question survey study, all questions rated on 0 (minimum) - 10 (maximum) scale. Questions include: pain before and after treatment, pain with activities in and out of bed, emotions (anxiety, fear, helplessness), degree of pain relief in the emergency department, satisfaction.

  3. Difference in length of stay in the emergency department

    Time frame: Average 1 hour

    Length of stay in the emergency department is determined from the time the provider first sees the patient to the time the provider discharges the patient.

Study contacts

Contact information is provided by the study sponsor or research team.

Umar Clinical Research Coordinator, AB

CONTACT

[email protected]

267-624-4394

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Pennsylvania

Other

Registry information

Official study title

Ultrasound-Guided Genicular Nerve Block for Knee Pain in the Emergency Department: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Important dates

Study start
2025
Primary completion
2026
Study completion
2026
First posted
Sep 8, 2025
Registry last updated
Feb 12, 2026

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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