Effectiveness of fascia iliaca compartment block versus combined pericapsular nerve group and lateral femoral cutaneous nerve block for postoperative analgesia in hip surgeries: A comparative study

• Author Details:   
• Smruthi C S
• Arun Aravind ^*
• Anju Annie Paul
• Akkamahadevi Patil
• Aruna Tegginamath

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Background and Aims: Efficient postoperative pain management is crucial for promoting early mobility and minimizing complications, especially in geriatric patients undergoing hip surgeries for fractures. Regional anaesthesia techniques such as the fascia-iliaca compartment block (FICB) and the pericapsular nerve group block combined with the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (PENG + LFCN) block have been shown to provide superior pain relief compared to systemic analgesics. This study aimed to assess and compare the effectiveness of these two blocks in terms of postoperative analgesia, focusing on numerical rating pain scores, duration of pain relief, and overall patient outcomes.

Materials and Methods: This prospective, randomized controlled trial included 60 patients undergoing hip fracture surgery under spinal anaesthesia. Patients were randomly assigned to either the PENG + LFCN block group or the FICB group. The primary outcomes included the duration of postoperative analgesia, pain scores, and the need for systemic analgesics. Secondary outcomes assessed the ease of positioning, patient satisfaction, and quadriceps muscle power recovery.

Results: The PENG + LFCN group demonstrated significantly longer postoperative analgesia (916.97 ± 143.52 minutes vs. 662.53 ± 118.70 minutes, p < 0>

Conclusion: The PENG + LFCN block provided superior postoperative pain relief compared to the FICB, with a longer duration of analgesia, lower analgesic consumption, and higher patient satisfaction. These findings suggest that the PENG + LFCN block may be a more effective technique for managing postoperative pain following hip fracture surgeries.

Keywords: Hip fracture surgery, Pericapsular nerve group block, Fascia iliaca compartment block, Lateral femoral cutaneous nerve block, Postoperative analgesia.