Ultrasound-guided fascia iliaca blocks in the emergency department

Each year, over 300,000 individuals aged 65 and older are hospitalized for hip fractures in the United States.¹ Traditional pain management in the elderly population is difficult because of physiologic changes and comorbidities.² Peripheral nerve blocks are often placed by anesthesia professionals following hip surgery as part of a multi modal pain management program. Recently, the placement of fascia iliacal blocks has been successfully utilized in the emergency department for geriatric patients suffering from hip fractures. This technique can be easily mastered with proper training for use in the emergency department and pre-hospital environments reducing the pain of hip fracture and its associated risks of morbidity. This article provides a detailed review of anatomy and an ultrasound-guided technique for placement of the fascia iliaca block.