Ultrasound-guided supra-inguinal fascia iliaca block: A cadaveric evaluation of a novel approach

Abstract

Existing descriptions of ultrasound-guided fascia iliaca block focus on injection of local anaesthetic inferior to the inguinal ligament, relying on supra-inguinal spread to block the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve in the iliac fossa. In this study, we explored injectate spread and nerve involvement in a cadaveric dye-injection model, using a supra-inguinal ultrasound-guided technique that places local anaesthetic directly into the iliac fossa. Bilateral injections of 20 ml 0.25% aniline blue dye were made in six unembalmed cadavers. The femoral nerve was stained by the dye in all twelve injections. The lateral femoral cutaneous nerve was stained bilaterally in five cadavers, but the nerve ..