Impact of Deep Neuromuscular Blockade During Total Hip Replacement Surgery on Postoperative Recovery and Immune Function

Rationale: Neuromuscular blockade agents (NMB) may enable surgeons to optimize exposure during hip surgery. With an increasing depth of NMB, manipulation of muscles and adjunctive tissues may be easier, therefore reducing damage to muscles and adjunct tissues. Accumulating evidence exists that the use of deep NMB in laparoscopic surgery is associated with a better quality of recovery and lower pain scores. However, whether this accounts for open surgery is still unknown.

In addition, surgery is associated with postoperative immune suppression. Surgical stress and damage cause the release of Danger Associated Molecular Patterns (DAMPs). After trauma and sepsis, the release of DAMPs is associated with immune paralysis and a higher susceptibility to infectious complications. Previous research indicates that DAMPS are the origin of postoperative immune suppression. The use of deep NMB in hip surgery may reduce surgical damage and thereby lead to a better quality of recovery and secondarily a better preservation of immune cell function.

Primary objective: To establish the relationship between the use of deep neuromuscular blockade (NMB) versus moderate NMB and the quality of recovery after total hip replacement surgery (THR) Secondary objective: To establish the relationship between the use of deep NMB versus moderate NMB and innate immune function after THR surgery

Study design: A monocenter, blinded, randomized controlled clinical trial

Study population: adults who are scheduled for primary or secondary hip replacement surgery under general anaesthesia.

Intervention: Patients will be randomized between a deep NMB (post tetanic count (PTC) 1-2) and moderate NMB (Train-of-four (TOF) 1-2)

Primary endpoint: Quality of Recovery score (QoR-40) at postoperative day 1.

Secondary endpoints: postoperative innate immune function, QoR-40 at postoperative day 30, 30-day postoperative (infectious) complications, postoperative pain scores and opioid consumption