Anatomical Variations of Femoral Nerve Location in Relation to Femoral Artery

Anatomical Variation of Femoral Nerve Location in Relation to Femoral Artery - An Ultrasonographic Evaluation

The goal of this observational study is to learn about the relative position of femoral nerve in relation to the femoral artery in patients scheduled for femoral fractures using ultrasound scanning.

The classical description of femoral nerve is that it lies immediately near to artery, but it is not always true. The nerve lies at a varying distance from the artery.

The main question it aims to answer are:

• Is the age sex and Body Mass Index affect the relationship between femoral artery and nerve?

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Femoral Fractures
• Intervention / Treatment: Other: Ultrasound scanning of inguinal area for femoral nerve and artery

Detailed Description

The femoral nerve block is ideal for surgeries of the femur, knee, or anterior thigh and is often combined with a sciatic nerve block for near complete lower extremity analgesia. The classic teaching is that the femoral nerve lies lateral to femoral artery sandwiched between the fascia iliaca and iliopsoas muscle1.

Aim:

The objective of the study is to find out the anatomical variation in the site of the femoral nerve in relation to the femoral artery, with respect to the age, sex, weight and ethnicity of the patient.

• Study Type: Observational
• Enrollment (Actual): 200

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: No

• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

femoral fracture patients admitted in Rashid hospital and trauma centre Dubai

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• above the age of 18 coming for fixation of femoral fracture

Exclusion Criteria:

• below the age of 18
• patient not willing to participate
• patients with neurological illness that hinders from giving a valid consent
• patients with local pathology at inguinal region

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Variability of anatomical position of Femoral Nerve with respect to Femoral artery - effect of age, sex and BMI	After positioning the patients with femoral fracture, ultrasound scanning of femoral nerve is done and the femoral nerve and arteries are identified. The distance between the femoral artery and nerve are measured using ultrasound.	From the time the patient is positioned for ultrasound scanning to obtain a clear image of the femoral nerve until the measurement of the distance between the femoral nerve and artery is completed, assessed over a period of up to 6 hours.

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Rashid Hospital

Publications and helpful links

General Publications

• Fanara B, Christophe JL, Boillot A, Tatu L, Jochum D, Henri Y, Berthier F, Samain E. Ultrasound guidance of needle tip position for femoral nerve blockade: an observational study. Eur J Anaesthesiol. 2014 Jan;31(1):23-9. doi: 10.1097/01.EJA.0000435016.83813.aa.
• Fingerman M, Benonis JG, Martin G. A practical guide to commonly performed ultrasound-guided peripheral-nerve blocks. Curr Opin Anaesthesiol. 2009 Oct;22(5):600-7. doi: 10.1097/ACO.0b013e32832f7643.
• Baker MD, Gullett JP. Ultrasound-Guided Femoral Nerve Blocks. Pediatr Emerg Care. 2015 Dec;31(12):864-8; quiz 869-71. doi: 10.1097/PEC.0000000000000634.
• Szucs S, Morau D, Iohom G. Femoral nerve blockade. Med Ultrason. 2010 Jun;12(2):139-44.

Helpful Links

• Andrew T. Gray, Adam B. Collins, Ingeborg Schafhalter-Zoppoth, An introduction to femoral nerve and associated lumbar plexus nerve blocks under ultrasonic guidance, Techniques in Regional Anesthesia and Pain Management, Volume 8, Issue 4, 2004, Pages 155
• Femoral nerve block. Hadzic A(Ed.), (2021). Hadzic's Peripheral Nerve Blocks and Anatomy for Ultrasound-Guided Regional Anesthesia, 3e. McGraw Hill.

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): April 10, 2016
• Primary Completion (Actual): November 30, 2020
• Study Completion (Actual): August 15, 2021

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: August 7, 2023
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 2, 2023
• First Posted (Estimated): September 6, 2023

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): September 6, 2023
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: September 2, 2023
• Last Verified: September 1, 2023

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: femoral fracture; Ultrasound anatomy of femoral nerve
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Fractures, Bone; Wounds and Injuries; Leg Injuries; Femoral Fractures
• Other Study ID Numbers: DSREC-06/2016_03

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: UNDECIDED

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No