Femoral Nerve Block - A Guide for Medical Students and Junior Doctors

A femoral fracture is a painful and distressing traumatic injury that is commonly encountered when working in an emergency department. The incidence of femoral shaft fracture has been estimated at 1.0-1.3 per 10,000 of population. The acute treatment of such an injury involves placement of the injured limb into a Thomas traction splint, which requires the provision of pain relief, commonly through use of a femoral nerve block. A femoral nerve block is a specific regional anaesthetic technique used by doctors in emergency medicine to provide anaesthesia and analgesia of the affected leg, to allow relief of pain from the fracture and facilitate movement of the injured limb into a splint. This article provides an educational overview of this practical procedure for junior doctors and medical students alike. We describe the technique as traditionally performed, as well as highlighting an increasingly favoured method using ultrasound as an adjunct to improve the accuracy and safety of the procedure.