Is Regional Anesthesia of the Hip Preferable Over Traditional Analgesia in the Acute Stage of the Management of Patients With a Fracture of the Hip

The main hypothesis of the study is that anaesthesia of the hip using infiltration with a local anesthetic solution is preferable over traditional analgesia with oral opioid medications in the acute stage of the management of patients with a fracture of the hip.

To study the hypothesis the investigators designed a prospective randomised study where patients are assigned in two groups, the first receiving local hip anesthesia and the other placebo treatment. Both groups are eligible to use of standard oral pain treatment.

Effect of analgesia as well as medical complications will be recorded.

Inclusion Criteria:

• fracture of the hip

Exclusion Criteria:

• multiple fractures,
• delay (more than 12 hours) from the time of injury until admission to the hospital,
• local infections, hypersensitivity to local analgetics,
• cognitive impairment