Fascia Iliaca Block

A neck fracture of the femur bone is common among elderly patients and can cause severe pain. A Fascia Iliaca Block is a safe procedure to block the pain of the injury and subsequent surgery.

The Fascia Iliaca Block offers a very good, very efficient and very safe treatment of pain for specific patients, though it’s not useful for everyone. Your board-certified spine surgeon at the Southeastern Spine Institute (SSI) can tell you if you are a good candidate for the treatment.

OVERVIEW

Your doctor may perform a Fascia Iliaca Block to stop pain signals from traveling along the femoral nerve from your thigh or knee to your brain. It’s a common procedure after certain leg surgeries — such as total knee replacement — to eliminate the associated pain. The procedure is detailed below. Talk to your surgeon about your risks and what to expect after the procedure.

1. PLACING THE NEEDLE

Your physician inserts a needle through near the femoral nerve, as shown in the illustration. He or she then delivers a mixture of anesthetic medicine to block the pain.

2. RECOVERING FROM THE PROCEDURE

The medicine spreads to the nearby nerves, blocking the pain signals. The pain should cease, allowing you heal from your surgery in relative comfort.

MORE INFORMATION

Contact us to learn more about a Fascia Iliaca Block.

For more information about nerve blocks and epidurals, refer to SSI’s Block Suite.

Find out more about SSI’s Pain Management procedures.