Background The pericapsular nerve group block (PENG) is a novel technique that blocks the articular branches of the hip joint. This study aimed to compare its effectiveness to a sham block in elderly patients with hip fractures.

Method A randomized double-blind controlled trial was conducted in elderly patients with intertrochanteric and neck of femur fractures. Patients were randomized to receive either PENG block or a sham block. Postblock, systemic analgesia was titrated using a standardized protocol of acetaminophen, oral morphine or patient-controlled analgesia. The primary outcome was the dynamic pain score (Numerical Rating Scale 0–10) at 30 min postblock. Secondary outcomes included pain scores at multiple other time points and 24-hour opioid consumption.

Results 60 patients were randomized and 57 completed the trial (PENG n=28, control n=29). Patients in PENG group had significantly lower dynamic pain scores at 30 min compared with control group (median (IQR) 3 (0.5–5) vs 5 (3–10), p<0.01). For the secondary outcomes, dynamic pain scores were lower in PENG group at 1 hour (median (IQR) 2 (1–3.25) vs 5 (3–8), p<0.01) and 3 hours postblock (median (IQR) 2 (0–5) vs 5 (2–8), p<0.05). Patients in PENG group had lower 24-hour opioid consumption (median (IQR) oral morphine equivalent dose 10 (0–15) vs 15 (10–30) mg, p<0.05).

Conclusion PENG block provided effective analgesia for acute traumatic pain following hip fracture. Further studies are required to validate the superiority of PENG blocks over other regional techniques.

Trial registration number NCT04996979.