The Effects of Fascia Iliaca Compartment Block on Hip Fracture Patients

Hip fractures in older patients are a major public health problem. For acute pain management, nonopioid analgesics are often not sufficient enough, and opioids have many adverse events. For this reasons fascia iliaca compartment block could be the treatment of choice. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the fascia iliaca compartment block for pain management in the emergency department, especially the effect on stress response and the effect on the acute confusional state. The investigators intend to conduct a randomized clinical trial in hip fracture patients years 65 and older presenting in the emergency department. In addition to standard analgesia with parenteral paracetamol, the first group of patients will receive fascia iliaca compartment block and the second group placebo. The investigators will monitor the effect of treatment protocol on laboratory parameters of stress response copeptin and cortisol, frequency and severity of acute confusional state, pain intensity and the need for additional opioid analgesics. Data obtained from this research could significantly improve the standard and quality of analgesia in the older patients with hip fracture. Regional anesthesia can diminish or prevent the development of stress response and cognitive impairment and these are the factors that complicate recovery of this fragile group of patients.