Continuous Femoral Nerve Catheters Decrease Opioid-Related Side Effects and Increase Home Disposition Rates Among Geriatric Hip Fracture Patients.

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Abstract

To evaluate the effect of continuous femoral nerve catheter (CFNC) for postoperative pain control in geriatric proximal femur fractures compared with standard analgesia (SA) treatment.Retrospective comparative study.Academic Level 1 trauma center.We retrospectively identified 265 consecutive geriatric hip fracture patients who underwent surgical treatment.One hundred forty-nine patients were treated with standard analgesia without nerve catheter whereas 116 patients received an indwelling CFNC.Daily average preoperative and postoperative pain scores, daily morphine equivalent consumption, opioid-related side effects and discharge disposition.Patients with CFNC patients reported lower average pain scores preoperatively (1.9 ± 1.7 for CFNC vs. 4.7 ± 2 for SA; P < 0.0001), on postoperative day 1 (1.5 ± 1.6 for CFNC vs. 3 ± 1.7 for SA; P < 0.0001) and postoperative day 2 (1.2 ± 1.5 for CFNC vs. 2.6 ± 2.1 for SA; P < 0.0001). CFNC group consumed 39% less morphine equivalents on postoperative day 1 (4.4 ± 5.8 mg for CFNC vs. 7.2 ± 10.8 mg for SA; P = 0.005) and 50% less morphine equivalent on postoperative day 2 (3.4 ± 4.4 mg for CFNC vs. 6.8 ± 13 mg for SA; P = 0.105). Patients with CFNC had a lower rate of opioid-related side effects compared with patients with SA (27.5% for CFNC vs. 47% for SA; P = 0.001). More patients with CFNC were discharged to home with or without health services than patients with SA (15% for CFNC vs. 6% for SA; P = 0.023).Continuous femoral nerve catheter decreased daily average patient-reported pain scores, narcotic consumption while decreasing the rate of opioid-related side effects. Patients with CFNC were discharged to home more frequently.Therapeutic Level III. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.

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