Continuous Femoral Nerve Catheters Decrease Opioid-Related Side Effects and Increase Home Disposition Rates Among Geriatric Hip Fracture Patients

To evaluate the effect of continuous femoral nerve catheter (CFNC) for postoperative pain control in geriatric proximal femur fractures compared with standard analgesia (SA) treatment.

Retrospective comparative study.

Academic Level 1 trauma center.

We retrospectively identified 265 consecutive geriatric hip fracture patients who underwent surgical treatment.

One hundred forty-nine patients were treated with standard analgesia without nerve catheter whereas 116 patients received an indwelling CFNC.

Daily average preoperative and postoperative pain scores, daily morphine equivalent consumption, opioid-related side effects and discharge disposition.

Patients with CFNC patients reported lower average pain scores preoperatively (1.9 ± 1.7 for CFNC vs. 4.7 ± 2 for SA; P < 0.0001), on postoperative day 1 (1.5 ± 1.6 for CFNC vs. 3 ± 1.7 for SA; P < 0.0001) and postoperative day 2 (1.2 ± 1.5 for CFNC vs. 2.6 ± 2.1 for SA; P < 0.0001). CFNC group consumed 39% less morphine equivalents on postoperative day 1 (4.4 ± 5.8 mg for CFNC vs. 7.2 ± 10.8 mg for SA; P = 0.005) and 50% less morphine equivalent on postoperative day 2 (3.4 ± 4.4 mg for CFNC vs. 6.8 ± 13 mg for SA; P = 0.105). Patients with CFNC had a lower rate of opioid-related side effects compared with patients with SA (27.5% for CFNC vs. 47% for SA; P = 0.001). More patients with CFNC were discharged to home with or without health services than patients with SA (15% for CFNC vs. 6% for SA; P = 0.023).

Continuous femoral nerve catheter decreased daily average patient-reported pain scores, narcotic consumption while decreasing the rate of opioid-related side effects. Patients with CFNC were discharged to home more frequently.

Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.