Combined posterior lumbar plexus and sacral block for emergency surgery to treat hip fracture

Ultrasound-guided peripheral nerve blocks are being used more widely in modern anesthesiology, yet spinal anesthesia remains the most commonly used technique for lower limb surgery in general and for hip fracture in particular. A combined lumbar plexus and sacral block may provide an alternative to other local and regional anesthetic techniques in special situations such as the treatment of patients with serious concomitant disease who are on treatment that affects platelet aggregation. We report 2 cases in which patients underwent emergency surgery for hip fracture. Patient histories included serious heart and lung conditions, double antiplatelet therapy, risk factors for difficult airway, and intracranial hypertension. The aforementioned nerve block provided appropriate conditions for surgery, hemodynamic stability, and postoperative analgesia without complications.