Ultrasound guided fascia iliaca compartment block versus femoral nerve block for positioning for spinal anesthesia in patients with hip fracture

Abstract

This was a prospective, randomized, double blind study. Group FICB (n=30) received ultrasound guided Fascia iliaca compartment block and group FNB (n=30) received ultrasound guided Femoral nerve block using a mixture of 2% lignocaine adrenaline and 0.25% bupivacaine. For data analysis, t test, Mann Whitney test and Chi-square test were applied. While positioning the patients for spinal anaesthesia, the mean NRS scores for pain were lesser in Group FICB as compared to Group FNB (p value 0.030). Also, a higher number of patients could be positioned optimally in the FICB group as compared to the FNB group. (p value 0.0449). Ultrasound guided FICB is more effective in relieving the pain of positioning for spinal anaesthesia than the ultrasound guided FNB in patients of hip fractures. The anaesthetist’s satisfaction regarding the quality of patient positioning is also more with FICB.