Learning Curve of Ultrasound-Guided Suprainguinal Fascia Iliaca Block: A Prospective Observational Study

Overview

Competence in ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia (UGRA) requires practitioners to acquire cognitive and technical skills. Various difficulties have been identified in anesthesia residents' learning UGRA skills. There is currently no approved UGRA curriculum for residents, and the level of UGRA proficiency achieved during residency may vary significantly. However, no specific training criteria have been defined for this block. It is important to establish criteria to evaluate the adequacy of education.

Compared to other nerve localization techniques, the benefits of UGRA include higher nerve block success rates, faster onset times, reduced local anesthetic volumes, and a lower risk of local anesthetic-related complications. Most experts now consider ultrasound guidance as the standard of care for peripheral nerve blocks. Successfully performing a UGRA procedure requires a triad of three distinct but interrelated skills: image acquisition, anatomical interpretation, and hand-eye coordination. In our clinic, we routinely perform various nerve block techniques under ultrasound guidance during the perioperative period, both for postoperative analgesia and as a primary anesthetic method. Specifically, in our clinic, the suprainguinal fascia iliaca block (SIFIB) is routinely applied for postoperative analgesia, particularly in orthopedic cases. Before performing a nerve block procedure, resident doctors in our clinic undergo standard training and subsequently perform blocks under the supervision and support of experienced specialists and academicians.

Conditions