Context

The Fascia Iliaca (FI) Block was first described in the late 1980’s in the context of children undergoing lower limb surgery¹. Its use for the management of femoral neck and shaft fractures in the emergency department has become more common since, initially using a landmark technique.

Ultrasound has been shown to increase the success of blocks and increases safety by allowing injection of local anaesthetic under direct vision^2,3.

The use of FI blocks in the emergency department has been shown to provide effective pain relief in the acute setting and to reduce the use of opiate analgesia^4,5. This is particularly important in the elderly population as it may decrease risk of delirium⁶.

It is important to remember that surgery is the definitive analgesia for hip fractures, and a patient’s journey to the operating theatre should not be unnecessarily delayed⁷.