Comparison of femoral nerve block and fascia iliaca block for analgesia following reconstructive knee surgery in adolescents.

STUDY

OBJECTIVE

To compare the femoral nerve block with the fascia iliaca block for postoperative analgesia in adolescents undergoing reconstructive knee surgery.

DESIGN

Randomized, single-blinded study.

SETTING

Full-service pediatric medical center.

PATIENTS: 23 ASA physical status I and II patients, aged 8 to 16 years, undergoing anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair.

INTERVENTIONS: Patients received either fascia iliaca or femoral nerve block prior to reconstructive surgery.

MEASUREMENTS: Pain scores by visual analog scale (VAS; 0-10) and morphine use were routinely recorded through to discharge from the hospital. Pain scores were assessed on days 1 and 2 at home post-discharge.

MAIN

RESULTS

There was no difference between the femoral nerve block and the fascia iliaca nerve block in VAS pain scores or postoperative morphine consumption.

CONCLUSION

Either the femoral nerve block or the fascia iliaca block, followed by patient-controlled analgesia with morphine, provides efficacious analgesia for adolescents undergoing ACL reconstruction.