Analgesia after total hip replacement

Perioperative pain management in elderly patients with а proximal femoral fracture: evidence review

The purpose of this article is to compare different methods of analgesia during perioperative period in elderly patients with а proximal femoral fracture. The incidence of hip fracture is high and also rises with the age, for example, In Great Britain, number of patients with a hip fracture will be approximately 100 000 in 2033, and it’s also associated with significant healthcare financing. Nevertheless, effective pain management is a big challenge for clinicians because of considerable problems in geriatric patients, including age, physiological changes in the elderly, preexisting comorbidities, cognitive impairment, high risk of delirium, problems with rehabilitation and probability of an independent life [12].   Opioids are still the main option for hip fracture pain management, despite differences in pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in elderly patients, which are correlated with high frequency of side effects. Opioid-related adverse drug events are associated with worse patient outcomes such as morbidity, mortality and length of stay increase. Therefore, peripheral nerve blocks as part of multimodal analgesic technique can provide more effective pain control after hip fracture. Comprehensive literature searches focus on the use of peripheral nerves blocks as preoperative analgesia, as postoperative analgesia or as a supplement to general anesthesia for hip fracture surgery.

[Fascia iliaca compartment block for analgesia following total hip replacement surgery]

OBJECTIVE

The objective of this pilot study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the fascia iliaca compartment block to control pain following total hip replacement by assessing pain intensity 24 hours after surgery and recording the use of opiates for rescue analgesia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

We performed a prospective observational study of 41 patients undergoing total hip replacement surgery. The patients were divided into 2 groups: a group that received a fascia iliaca compartment block with 0.45% ropivacaine at a dosage of 0.3 mL/kg (maximum dose, 30 mL) and a control group in which no block was performed. Patients were enrolled consecutively as they entered the postanesthetic recovery unit. Postoperative pain was assessed on a visual analog scale (VAS) immediately after surgery and 24 hours later. Other variables recorded were opiate use for rescue analgesia and adverse effects due to the use of opiates.

RESULTS

The VAS scores recorded in the postanesthetic recovery unit were significantly different in the 2 groups, with lower scores in the group receiving the fascia iliaca compartment block (P < .001). However, no significant between-group differences were observed in VAS scores recorded on the ward 24 hours after surgery (P = .57).

CONCLUSIONS

A single-injection fascia iliaca compartment block was effective in controlling initial postoperative pain in a postanesthetic recovery unit. It was effective on the ward in the first few hours after surgery but not for the entire 24-hour period because of the limited duration of the block.