To study the efficacy of ultrasound guided fascia iliaca compartment block with bupivacaine and dexmedetomidine for positioning before spinal anaesthesia in fracture femur patients

Lower limb fractures like fracture femurpose a challenge to anesthesiologists in positioning the patients for spinalanesthesia. It is often difficult because of excruciating pain. This alsopresents difficulty in administration of spinal anesthesia because of inappropriateposition of the patient.

Hence, there is a need to provide goodpain relief to such patients in order to facilitate appropriate positioning forspinal anesthesia. This also provides comfort to the patient and reducesstress response because of pain relief.

Advantages of fascia iliaca compartmentblock (FICB) are that, it is inexpensive and can be easily administered usinganatomical landmarks to provide perioperative analgesia in patients withfracture femur. Local anesthetic agent like bupivacaine has been introduced asit is potent and long acting which offers prolonged anesthesia with post-operativeanalgesia. Dexmedetomidine has been added as an adjuvant to local anestheticagent in various blocks to increase the efficacy.

Therefore, ultrasound guided FICB isadministered as it has better accuracy compared to landmark technique. FICB isadministered with Bupivacaine and Dexmedetomidine. VAS and NRS scores are notedbefore FICB and during positioning the patient for spinal anaesthesia.