Total Knee Arthroplasty (TKA) is also known as a knee replacement. It is one of the most
common orthopaedic (bone) surgeries performed and is usually very successful, but some people
who have had a knee replacement feel pain that lasts for at least 3 months after surgery and
thus continue to take pain control/ analgesic (opioids) medication. Opiates are medications
like morphine.
Pain post-surgery can make it difficult to recover and return to daily activities. A better
control of pain before the surgery, can help people feel less pain, recover faster, and use
less opioids after surgery.
Cryoneurolysis means freezing the nerves that can cause pain. It uses very low temperatures
in a specific body part (e.g., nerves to the knee) to freeze the pain nerves and therefore
reduce the pain. When applied before the surgery it might help with postoperative pain after
knee replacement.
This study will evaluate Iovera, a cryoneurolysis handheld device commercially available in
Canada that delivers freezing cold to a target nerve by using nitrous oxide. Cryoneurolysis
can relieve pain and symptoms associated with osteoarthritis of the knee for up to 90 days.