Efficiency of fascia iliaca block in total hip arthroplasty

Introduction. The present study examined the effect of iliac fascia blockade in patients after primary total hip arthroplasty (TEH). Purpose. Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of using the iliac fascia blockade in the postoperative period after TEH. Materials and methods. The study included 60 patients who underwent primary TEH. Patients were randomly divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 30) – patients who underwent a multimodal scheme of postoperative analgesia in the postoperative period; group 2 (n = 30) – patients who, in addition to multimodal analgesia, underwent blockade of the iliac fascia of the thigh under ultrasound navigation after surgery. In the postoperative period, the level of pain syndrome at rest and during movement was recorded using a visual analog scale of the pain level (VAS 1 and VAS 2) after 6–12–24–48 hours. We also recorded the frequency and quantity of prescription of narcotic analgesics and noted the frequency of side effects from their use. Results. The level of pain syndrome at rest and during movement in the first 24 hours was lower in patients of the 2nd group. After 48 hours, there were no significant differences between the groups in the level of pain. Patients in group 1 were prescribed opioid analgesics more often than patients in group 2. The number of side effects from the use of narcotic analgesics was greater in patients of group 1. Conclusions. The use of the iliac fascia block is an effective method of perioperative analgesia after hip arthroplasty. This method allows achieving a high level of pain relief and reduces the need for prescription of opioid analgesics.