PENG for chronic pain: the clinical effectiveness of pericapsular nerve group block in chronic hip pain

Area of Science:

• Pain Medicine
• Anesthesiology
• Musculoskeletal Disorders

Background:

• Chronic hip pain significantly impacts quality of life.
• Hip osteoarthritis (OA), greater trochanteric pain (GTPS), and chronic pain after total hip arthroplasty (cTHA) are common causes.
• Effective and well-tolerated treatment options are needed.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficiency and tolerability of the pericapsular nerve group block (PENG) for chronic hip pain.
• To assess the PENG block's impact on pain, stiffness, and physical activity.
• To analyze patient-reported outcomes and complications following the PENG block.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective, single-centre study over 3 months.
• 112 patients with hip OA, GTPS, or cTHA received ultrasound-guided PENG block.
• Western Ontario and McMaster Universities osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) and visual analogue scale (VAS) scores were compared pre- and post-treatment.

Main Results:

• Significant improvements observed within the first week: 62% pain reduction, 52% stiffness reduction, 53% physical activity increase.
• Sustained improvements noted at 1 and 3 months, with all metrics remaining above 45%.
• Initial pain alleviation reported, with manageable issues during/after the block.

Conclusions:

• The PENG block is an effective treatment for chronic hip pain.
• The procedure demonstrated good tolerability among patients.
• No treatment-related infections or serious complications were reported.