Femoral Obturator Blocks/Ablation For Chronic Hip Pain

What is a Femoral Obturator Block?

A Femoral Obturator Block is a regional anesthesia technique that targets the femoral and obturator nerves in the leg. By injecting local anesthetic agents near these nerves, it can temporarily block pain signals, providing relief for a variety of conditions.

What Can It Treat?

Femoral Obturator Blocks are typically used to block chronic pain from conditions such as:

Osteoarthritis of the hip

Hip fractures

Postoperative pain following hip or knee surgery

Chronic groin pain

How is it Administered?

The administration of a Femoral Obturator Block is a precise procedure and involves the following steps:

Preparation: You will be carefully positioned, and the injection site will be cleaned and sterilized.

X-ray Guidance: Utilizing X-ray technology, I can visualize the surrounding structures to accurately place the needle near the nerve branches to the hip joint.

Anesthetic Injection: A needle is inserted near the femoral and obturator nerves, and a local anesthetic is injected to block the nerve signals.

Monitoring: You will be carefully monitored post-procedure to ensure the block is working effectively and to manage any immediate post-procedure needs.

Ablation of the Femoral and Obturator Nerves – By targeting the smaller branches of the nerve that provide pain sensation to the hip joint, we can apply heat to disrupt the nerves. By ablating the nerve endings chronic hip pain can be significantly reduced. In order to be a candidate for ablation, a positive response is needed to the diagnostic block. The nerves will regenerate within a year, but the procedure can be repeated. The ablation of the nerve endings is a palliative procedure and does not fix the underlying condition. The goal with an ablation is to mask the pain in patients who are not candidates for hip replacement.

Risks and Considerations

Though Femoral Obturator Blocks are considered safe, there are potential risks and side effects, such as:

Infection at the injection site

Bleeding or bruising

Temporary numbness or weakness in the leg

Damage to the nerves or surrounding structures

Allergic reaction to the anesthetic agent

All these risks are minimized with precise ultrasound-guided technique and my extensive experience in the field.

If you or a loved one is suffering from chronic pain in the hip, thigh, or knee, a Femoral Obturator Block and Ablation might be the solution. Your health and comfort is our priority, Schedule an Appointment with Dr. Edward Rubin to take back control of your pain and improve your quality of life