Femoral nerve block for femoral shaft fractures in a paediatric Emergency Department: can it be done better?
Chu RS; Browne GJ; Cheng NG; Lam LT Emergency Department, Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Westmead, Australia. BACKGROUND: The relatively simple technique of administering a femoral nerve block is known to be quick, safe and effective in providing prolonged analgesia to children with femoral shaft fracture. Although medical literature supports its use in the emergency setting, no studies have been conducted on how this is undertaken in practice. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study is to describe the practice of femoral nerve block in previously well children who present to our Emergency Department with femoral shaft fracture. SETTING: This study was conducted at the Emergency Department of a tertiary paediatric hospital in Sydney, Australia. METHODS: A retrospective descriptive study was conducted by gathering data on all patients presenting to the Emergency Department between 1 January 1996 and 1 July 2001 with traumatic fracture to the femoral shaft. Whether femoral nerve block had bee
