Comparison of Unilateral Spinal Anesthesia and Nerve Block in Hip Fractures

Comparison of the Effectiveness of Lumbar Plexus Block and Hypobaric Unilateral Spinal Anesthesia in Patients Undergoing Femoral Neck Fracture Surgery

This randomized study aims to compare the efficacy and hemodynamic effects of hypobaric unilateral spinal anesthesia (HUSA) and lumbar plexus block (LP-SP) in patients undergoing femoral neck fracture surgery. Conducted at a single center, the study includes 60 patients aged 18 to 90, classified as ASA I-IV, and evaluates anesthesia methods' impact on intraoperative parameters, including blood pressure, sedation needs, and recovery outcomes. The findings will inform anesthetic strategy selection based on patient characteristics and surgical requirements.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Spinal Anesthesia; Femur Neck Fracture; Lumbar Plexus Nerve Block
• Intervention / Treatment: Procedure: Hipobaric Unilateral Spinal Anesthesia Group; Procedure: Lumbar Plexus Block (LP-SP)

Detailed Description

This prospective, randomized, controlled study is designed to compare hypobaric unilateral spinal anesthesia (HUSA) and lumbar plexus block combined with sacral plexus block (LP-SP) in patients undergoing femoral neck fracture surgery. The study will be conducted at Bursa Yüksek İhtisas Training and Research Hospital and will include a total of 60 patients aged between 18 and 90 years with ASA physical status I-IV.

Eligible patients will be randomized into two groups: the HUSA group and the LP-SP group. In the HUSA group, unilateral spinal anesthesia will be performed using 5 mg of 0.5% bupivacaine diluted with distilled water to achieve a hypobaric solution. In the LP-SP group, lumbar plexus block and sacral plexus block will be performed using ultrasound-guided Shamrock or paramedian sagittal approaches with 0.5% bupivacaine.

Standard intraoperative monitoring will be applied to all patients, including electrocardiography, non-invasive blood pressure, pulse oximetry, and anesthesia depth monitoring with entropy and surgical pleth index. Intraoperative sedation, vasopressor use, and intravenous fluid administration will be managed according to institutional clinical protocols and patient needs.

Hemodynamic parameters, anesthesia depth indices, nociception indices, sedation requirements, and recovery-related parameters will be recorded intraoperatively at predefined time points. All data will be collected prospectively and analyzed to compare the two anesthetic techniques in terms of intraoperative stability and perioperative management requirements.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 50
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Bursa, Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Healt Science University Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Research and Education Hospital

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

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

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Age between 18 and 90 years.
• American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification I-IV.
• Scheduled for femoral neck fracture surgery.
• Provided informed consent to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• History of allergy to local anesthetics.
• Presence of coagulopathy or bleeding disorders.
• Mental health disorders impairing consent or cooperation.
• Allergy to medications used in the study protocol.
• Presence of infection at the block site.
• Body mass index (BMI) > 30.
• Preoperative or intraoperative conversion to general anesthesia.
• Pregnant patients.
• Severe spinal deformities preventing regional anesthesia application.
• Refusal to participate in the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: None (Open Label)

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Hipobaric Unilateral Spinal Anesthesia Group	Procedure: Hipobaric Unilateral Spinal Anesthesia Group; Patients in this group receive hypobaric unilateral spinal anesthesia (HUSA) using 5 mg of 0.5% bupivacaine diluted with 3 mL of distilled water. The injection is administered at the L4-L5 intervertebral space in the lateral position. Hemodynamic parameters, sensory block levels, and intraoperative requirements are monitored.
Experimental: Lomber Plexus Block Group	Procedure: Lumbar Plexus Block (LP-SP); Patients in this group undergo lumbar plexus block (LP-SP) using a Shamrock or paramedian sagittal ultrasound-guided approach. A mixture of 0.5% bupivacaine and saline (total volume: 25-35 mL) is administered based on patient body weight (max 2.5 mg/kg). Neurostimulation is used to confirm accurate needle placement in the psoas muscle. Hemodynamic stability, block efficacy, and sedation needs are assessed.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
State Entropy(SE)	To measure the depth of anesthesia using the State Entropy (SE) index during surgery. SE reflects cortical EEG activity and ranges from 0 to 91. Lower SE values indicate deeper levels of anesthesia. Measurements will be recorded intraoperatively at baseline and at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes, as well as at the end of surgery.	Intraoperative period (baseline, 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes, and end of surgery [up to 3 hours]
Response Entropy(RE)	To measure the depth of anesthesia using the Response Entropy (RE) index during surgery. RE reflects combined cortical EEG and facial muscle activity and ranges from 0 to 100. Lower RE values indicate deeper levels of anesthesia. Measurements will be recorded intraoperatively at baseline and at 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes, as well as at the end of surgery.	Intraoperative period (baseline, 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes, and end of surgery [up to 3 hours]

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Surgical Pleth Index (SPI)	To assess intraoperative nociception and stress levels using the Surgical Pleth Index (SPI). The SPI reflects autonomic responses to surgical stimuli and ranges from 0 to 100. Higher SPI values indicate higher nociception and stress. Measurements will be	Intraoperative period (baseline, 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes, and end of surgery [up to 3 hours]
Intraoperative Blood Pressure Changes	To monitor systolic, diastolic, and mean arterial blood pressure changes during surgery.	Intraoperative period (baseline, 5, 15, 30, 45, 60, 90, and 120 minutes, and end of surgery [up to 3 hours]
Sedative Drug Requirement	Total amount of sedative medications administered intraoperatively, including propofol and fentanyl. The cumulative dose will be recorded throughout the entire surgery duration (propofol in milligrams; fentanyl in micrograms).	Entire surgery duration
Total Intravenous Fluid Volume	Total volume of intravenous fluids administered intraoperatively. The cumulative fluid amount will be recorded in milliliters (mL) during the entire surgery duration.	Entire surgery duration

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Bursa Yuksek Ihtisas Training and Research Hospital

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): September 15, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): September 15, 2024
• Study Completion (Actual): December 15, 2024

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: January 6, 2025
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 8, 2025
• First Posted (Estimated): December 9, 2025

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Estimated): December 9, 2025
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: December 8, 2025
• Last Verified: December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: Regional Anesthesia; Spinal Anesthesia; Peripheral Nerve Block; Femoral Neck Fracture; Lumbar Plexus Block
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Wounds and Injuries; Leg Injuries; Fractures, Bone; Femoral Fractures; Hip Injuries; Hip Fractures; Femoral Neck Fractures
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2011- KAEK-25 2023/07-14

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: The data will not be shared due to privacy and confidentiality concerns.

Drug and device information, study documents

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