A Randomized Study to Compare the Analgesic Efficacy of Ultrasound-Guided Block of Fascia Iliaca Compartment or Femoral Nerve After Patella Fracture Surgery

The aim of this study was to compare the analgesic efficacy of the ultrasound-guided block of femoral nerve or fascia iliaca compartment in patients who underwent patella fracture surgery. Fifty patients were blinded and randomized into groups treated with continuous fascia iliaca compartment block (CFICB) ( n = 25) or continuous femoral nerve block (CFNB) ( n = 25) after patella fracture surgery. Analgesic effects of the two methods were assessed and compared. Patients from the two groups showed no significant difference in visible analog scales at rest and during movement, fentanyl consumption, nausea, and vomiting. The time of catheter insertion was significantly shorter in carrying out CFICB compared to that in performing CFNB (8.3 ± 1.4 vs 14.5 ± 3.0 min). Three of the 25 patients in CFNB group experienced dysesthesia of anterior of the thigh, a complication which was not observed in CFICB-treated patients. CFICB and CFNB were equally effective in relieving pain after the patella fracture surgery. However, compared to CFNB, CFICB was found to be safer and easier to perform.