Effect of Fascia Iliaca Compartment Block with Liposomal Bupivacaine on the Quality of Recovery After Hip Fracture Surgery: A Prospective, Randomized, Controlled Clinical Study

Purpose: To investigate the effect of a fascia iliaca compartment block with liposomal bupivacaine on the quality of recovery after hip fracture surgery. Patients and Methods: Seventy patients who underwent hip fracture surgery were randomized 1:1 to either the liposomal bupivacaine group (LB group) or ropivacaine group (R group). The LB and R groups received 0.333% liposomal bupivacaine and 0.375% ropivacaine, respectively, for fascia iliaca compartment block. The Quality of Recovery-15 (QoR-15) was assessed at 72 hours postoperatively. We performed between-group comparisons of the highest Numerical Rating Scale (NRS) score during activities at 0-24 hours, 24-48 hours and 48-72 hours postoperatively, amount of opioid consumption within 72 hours postoperatively, recovery time for muscle strength grades II and III, postoperative time to first mobilization, postoperative length of hospital stay, incidence of postoperative adverse reactions, and scores for patient satisfaction with pain relief. Results: Compared to the R group, the LB group had significantly higher QoR-15 scores and lower opioid consumption at 72 hours postoperatively. There was no significant between-group difference in the highest NRS score during activity within 24 hours postoperatively. However, the LB group had lower NRS scores than the R group within the 24-48 and 48-72 hours postoperatively. The postoperative time to first mobilization was significantly shorter in the LB group than in the R group. However, there were no significant between-group differences in the recovery time for grade III muscle strength, postoperative length of hospital stay, incidence of adverse reactions, and pain satisfaction scores. Conclusion: Fascia iliaca compartment block with liposomal bupivacaine can significantly improve the quality of postoperative recovery and reduce opioid consumption in patients undergoing hip fracture surgery.