Fatih Esad Topal1, Serkan Bilgin1, Adnan Yamanoglu1, Zeynep Karakaya1, Umut Payza1, Pınar Yesim Akyol1, Cihan Aslan2, Murat Aksun3. 1. Department of Emergency Medicine, Katip Celebi University, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. 2. Department of Orthopaedics and Traumatology, Katip Celebi University, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey. 3. Department of Anesthesiology, Katip Celebi University, Ataturk Training and Research Hospital, Izmir, Turkey.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The local anesthetic dosages used in the current literature in regional applications of local anesthetics are frequently high for surgical purposes, and there are no sufficient dosage studies for emergency department (ED) management. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the success of lower local anesthetic dosages capable of reducing costs and excessive exposure to drugs in pain control in patients with femoral neck fractures (FNFs) in the ED. METHODS: Patients ≥65 years of age with FNFs and reporting Wong-Baker Pain Rating Scales scores ≥8 were included in this prospective, interventional study. Patients underwent ultrasound-guided regional femoral block with 5 mL 2% prilocaine. Pain scores before the procedure and at 30 min and 2 h postprocedure were compared with the Friedman test and Wilcoxon test with Bonferroni correction. RESULTS: Forty patients, 20 with intracapsular and 20 with extracapsular FNFs, were enrolled. The initial pain scores of patients with both intra- and extracapsular fractures were 8 (range 8-10). A statistically significant 50% decrease in pain scores was observed in both groups 30 min after the regional block procedure (p < 0.001). A statistically significant 75% decrease in pain scores was observed in both groups 2 h after the regional block procedure (p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was determined in the change in 30-min and 2-h pain scores between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of 5 mL 2% prilocaine for pain control in FNFs in elderly patients in the ED can reduce systemic analgesic requirements by establishing effective analgesia in both intracapsular and extracapsular fractures.
BACKGROUND: The local anesthetic dosages used in the current literature in regional applications of local anesthetics are frequently high for surgical purposes, and there are no sufficient dosage studies for emergency department (ED) management. OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the success of lower local anesthetic dosages capable of reducing costs and excessive exposure to drugs in pain control in patients with femoral neck fractures (FNFs) in the ED. METHODS:Patients ≥65 years of age with FNFs and reporting Wong-Baker Pain Rating Scales scores ≥8 were included in this prospective, interventional study. Patients underwent ultrasound-guided regional femoral block with 5 mL 2% prilocaine. Pain scores before the procedure and at 30 min and 2 h postprocedure were compared with the Friedman test and Wilcoxon test with Bonferroni correction. RESULTS: Forty patients, 20 with intracapsular and 20 with extracapsular FNFs, were enrolled. The initial pain scores of patients with both intra- and extracapsular fractures were 8 (range 8-10). A statistically significant 50% decrease in pain scores was observed in both groups 30 min after the regional block procedure (p < 0.001). A statistically significant 75% decrease in pain scores was observed in both groups 2 h after the regional block procedure (p < 0.001). No statistically significant difference was determined in the change in 30-min and 2-h pain scores between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: The administration of 5 mL 2% prilocaine for pain control in FNFs in elderly patients in the ED can reduce systemic analgesic requirements by establishing effective analgesia in both intracapsular and extracapsular fractures.