Nerve stimulator-guided femoral nerve block provided superior pre-operative analgesia compared with fascia iliaca compartment block (mean difference in pain score reduction 0.9; 95% CI 0-1.8; p=0.047).
RCT (n=110)
Randomly assigned
Does nerve stimulator-guided femoral nerve block improve analgesia and reduce opioid consumption compared to fascia iliaca compartment block in patients awaiting surgery for fractured neck of femur?
Nerve stimulator-guided femoral nerve block provides superior pre-operative analgesia and reduces opioid requirements compared to fascia iliaca compartment block in patients with femoral neck fractures.
Mean Difference: 0.9 (95% CI 0–1.8)
p-value: p=0.047
We undertook a randomised, controlled trial to compare the analgesic efficacy and opioid sparing effect of nerve stimulator-guided femoral nerve block with fascia iliaca compartment block in patients awaiting surgery for fractured neck of femur. Ten-centimetre visual analogue pain scores were measured before and 2 h after the block and opioid consumption was recorded in the 12-h period after the block. One hundred and ten patients were randomly assigned. Femoral nerve block provided superior pre-operative analgesia for fractured neck of femur compared with fascia iliaca compartment block. The difference in the mean reduction of pain score after the block was 0.9 (95% CI 0-1.8); p = 0.047. Patients receiving a femoral nerve block required less morphine after the block than those receiving fascia iliaca compartment block (p = 0.041).
Newman et al. (Fri,) conducted a rct in Femoral neck fracture (n=110). Nerve stimulator-guided femoral nerve block vs. Fascia iliaca compartment block was evaluated on Reduction in visual analogue pain score 2 hours after the block (MD 0.9, 95% CI 0-1.8, p=0.047). Nerve stimulator-guided femoral nerve block provided superior pre-operative analgesia compared with fascia iliaca compartment block (mean difference in pain score reduction 0.9; 95% CI 0-1.8; p=0.047).