Background: During recent three decades, parallel to the improvement of arthroscopic techniques, intra-articular block by direct injection of anesthetics into the joint has been used in knee arthroscopy. In this study the efficacy of intra- articular block by complex of bupivacaine, lidocaine and adrenaline in knee arthroscopy has been assessed.
Methods: Forty one healthy adults (age range: 18-55 years) with knee problems selected for diagnostic arthroscopy. Anesthesia was induced by direct injection of 10ml 2% bupivacaine, 10ml 0.5% lidocaine plus 1/100000 adrenaline into the knee joint.  Duration of operation and volume of serum used for irrigation during the procedure; pain and analgesics requirement, during and after arthroscopy; VAS (Visual Analogue Scale) score, at time of discharge from recovery and also patient's and surgeon's satisfaction were assessed.
Results: Sixty eight percent and 29% of cases reported mild and moderate degree of pain perception during arthroscopy, respectively, and only one case for which general anesthesia was performed, reported severe pain. VAS mean was 2.78. Seventy eight percent of cases and the surgeon in 80% of procedures had excellent or good satisfaction with intra-articular block.
Conclusions: Considering high level of satisfaction in both patients and surgeon and mean of VAS, complications of other modalities of anesthesisa and simplicity of the technique, intra-articular block can be used as an easy, safe and efficient method for knee arthroscopy.