The impact of fascia iliaca nerve blockade on early postoperative pain and recovery after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome

Fascia iliaca nerve blockade (FIB) has been previously described as an effective technique for reducing postoperative pain and opioid consumption after hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement syndrome (FAIS). We hypothesize that an FIB will significantly reduce opioid consumption, pain scores and recovery time in our population. A retrospective observational study of 326 consecutive patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for FAIS at a single institution was performed. Patients were classified based on whether or not they received an FIB. Patient demographics, surgical details, medication details and 6-month postoperative outcomes were collected. The primary endpoint was the amount of narcotics required intraoperatively and in the postanesthesia care unit (PACU). Of the 326 patients included in the study, 37 received an FIB. No differences in sex, age or other surgical details were observed between groups. Patients receiving an FIB were more likely to receive celecoxib (P < 0.001), pregabalin (P = 0.001) and methocarbamol (P = 0.002). The FIB group received lower doses of narcotics intraoperatively (P = 0.001), postoperatively (P < 0.001) and in total (P < 0.001). The FIB group also self-reported lower first pain scores upon arrival to PACU (P = 0.001) and experienced shorter PACU recovery times (P < 0.001). After controlling for differences between groups, patients who received an FIB required significantly lower amounts of narcotics, had shorter PACU times and lower first PACU pain score than those who did not (P < 0.001). No differences in complication rates were noted between groups. The use of FIB resulted in lower pain scores, reduced recovery time and decreased early postoperative narcotic requirements for patients undergoing hip arthroscopy for femoroacetabular impingement. Further study is required to validate these findings and determine the optimal approach to regional analgesia in this patient population.