Convulsions following regional hip blockade with bupivacaine and adrenaline

Four out of 100 patients undergoing regional hip block (obturator nerve and nerve to obturator femoris) developed convulsions. These followed the injection of bupivacaine to block the nerve to the quadratus femoris muscle. The reasons for this are discussed. Not only has hip nerve regional blockade been shown to be ineffective in the relief of chronic pain of osteoarthritis but it must be concluded that the method described carries an unacceptably high morbidity.