Researchers conducted a prospective, randomized, double-blind study to see if an ultrasound-guided pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block could help older patients after elective total hip arthroplasty. The patients received either the PENG block with bupivacaine or a sham block under spinal anesthesia. They were followed for up to 90 days to check for cognitive issues and recovery markers.
The results showed that the PENG group had a lower rate of postoperative cognitive dysfunction on day 7 compared to the control group. Additionally, patients in the PENG group reported significantly less pain, used less opioid medication, moved earlier, and had shorter hospital stays. Blood markers related to inflammation were also lower in the treatment group.
No adverse events or discontinuations were reported, suggesting the procedure was well-tolerated in this small sample. While these findings are encouraging, the study size was limited to 84 patients. Readers should understand that this early evidence supports further investigation but does not yet change standard surgical practice or guarantee outcomes for all patients.