# Pain relief for femur fractures using Fascia Iliaca Block and IV fentanyl

## TL;DR

This study compares two pain relief methods for femur fractures and finds that the Fascia Iliaca Block provides better pain control and faster anesthesia than IV fentanyl.

## Contribution

The study provides new evidence that Fascia Iliaca Block is more effective than IV fentanyl for pain relief in femur fracture patients.

## Key findings

- Fascia Iliaca Block significantly reduced pain during positioning compared to IV fentanyl.
- Fascia Iliaca Block resulted in faster spinal anesthesia and longer pain relief duration.
- Both methods had stable vitals and similar side effect profiles.

## Abstract

Proximal femur fractures cause severe pain making spinal anesthesia positioning difficult. Therefore, it is of interest to compare
ultrasound-guided Fascia Iliaca Compartment Block (F.I.C.B) with IV fentanyl for pain relief. 100 American Society of Anesthesiologists
(ASA) I/II patients were randomly divided into two groups, receiving either Fascia Iliaca Compartment Block (30 ml 0.25% bupivacaine) or
IV fentanyl (1 mcg/kg). Visual analog scale (VAS) scores were similar at baseline but significantly lower in Fascia Iliaca Compartment
Block group during positioning (2.38 ± 0.49 vs 4.34 ± 0.72, p < 0.0001). Further, Fascia Iliaca Compartment Block also
led to faster spinal anesthesia (6.21 ± 0.86 vs 6.96 ± 0.2 min, p < 0.0001) and longer pain relief (4.72 ± 0.78
vs 2.7 ± 0.76 hrs, p < 0.0001) with stable vitals and no significant difference in side effects.