Different Approaches of Continuous Fascial Iliaca Compartment Block Under Ultrasound-Guidance for Hip Arthroplasty: Short axis vs long axis in-Plane Techniques

Continuous Fascia iliaca compartment block provides effective analgesia by effective blockade of the femoral and lateral femoral cutaneous (LFC) in patients undergoing hip orthopedic surgeries. We compared analgesic effect of ultrasound-guided continuous fascia iliaca compartment block using either a short-axis in-plane technique or a long-axis in-plane technique for patients undergoing hip arthroplasty.In this prospective double-blind study, twenty-six ASA- I and II patients undergoing hip orthopedic surgeries were enrolled and randomly assigned to receive continuous fascia iliaca compartment block with either a short axis in-plane or a long-axis in- plane technique. The perineural catheter was attached to an electronic infusion pump. Ropivacaine 0.2% was administered through the catheter for 48 hours (4 mL/h). The primary outcome was ropivacaine consumption within 48h in the two groups. Secondary outcomes included the procedural time, success rate of block, postoperative pain score evaluated by NRS score at rest and movement. There was no significant difference in the consumption of ropivacaine during the 48 postoperative hours (P>0.05). Short-axis in-plane group need less procedural time for catheterization insertion than long-axis group. Compared with the short-axis in-plane technique, long-axis in-plane continuous fasicia iliaca compartment block had no ropivacaine-sparing effect on patient-controlled analgesia for hip arthroplasty.