Abstract:Objective To compare the clinical efficacy of low-dose esketamine administered via the perineural and intravenous routes in elderly patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty.Methods The clinical data of 89 elderly patients who received total knee arthroplasty in our hospital from January 2020 to January 2025 were retrospectively analyzed. All patients underwent subarachnoid block after successful popliteal artery-posterior knee capsular space block and tibial nerve block. Patients were divided into perineural administration group (n = 43) and intravenous administration group (n = 46) according to different administration modes of intraoperative esketamine. The onset time and duration of sensory block and the number of analgesic-pump presses within 48 h were recorded. Inflammatory factors and stress indicators before operation and 24 hours after operation were compared between the two groups. Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) was adopted to assess resting and exercise pain scores at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h postoperatively. The incidence of postoperative complications was recorded.Results The onset time of sensory block and the number of effective presses of the analgesic pump within 48 hours in the perineural administration group were lower than those in the intravenous administration group, while the duration of sensory block was longer in the perineural administration group (P < 0.05). Postoperative levels of IL-8, IL-6 and TNF-α were significantly lower in the perineural administration group compared with the intravenous administration group (P < 0.05); postoperative IL-8, IL-6 and TNF-α concentrations were elevated relative to preoperative baseline values in both groups (P < 0.05). Postoperative levels of ACTH, cortisol (Cor) and lactic acid in the perineural administration group were lower than those in the intravenous administration group (P < 0.05), and postoperative ACTH, cortisol and lactic acid levels were higher than preoperative levels in both groups (P < 0.05). Rest and dynamic Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores at 6, 12, 24 and 48 h postoperatively were compared between the perineural and intravenous administration groups, with the following results: (1) Statistically significant differences were observed in rest and dynamic VAS scores across different time points (P < 0.05); (2) Statistically significant intergroup differences were detected in both rest and dynamic VAS scores (P < 0.05), with lower VAS scores and superior relative analgesic efficacy noted in the perineural administration group; (3) The changing trends of rest and dynamic VAS scores differed significantly between the two groups (P < 0.05). The overall incidence of postoperative complications was lower in the perineural administration group than in the intravenous administration group (P < 0.05).Conclusion For elderly patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, perineural administration of low-dose esketamine achieves a superior block effect, alleviates postoperative inflammatory stress response and relieves postoperative pain effectively.