Cadaveric Study Reveals Femoral Nerve-Sparing Volume for PENG Block

Recent cadaveric research into the pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block highlights its motor-sparing advantages yet reveals limitations in completely preventing quadriceps weakness, with incidences of 45% at 3 hours and 25% at 6 hours post-operation. The study determined that the maximum effective volume (MEV90) required for optimal nerve block while sparing the femoral nerve is 13.2 mL. This finding underscores the need for further investigation into the MEV90 of the PENG block in live subjects to refine its clinical application.

Successful block: the femoral nerve was not stained with dye. (A) Before the iliopsoas muscle was removed. (B) After the iliopsoas muscle was removed to expose the iliac bone. AIIS, anterior inferior iliac spine; ASIS, anterior superior iliac spine; FN, femoral nerve; HFN, high articular branch of the femoral nerve; IM, iliacus muscle; IPE, iliopubic eminence; LFN, low articular branch of the femoral nerve; ON, obturator nerve; PM, psoas muscle; PT, public tubercle.

To read the full paper in RAPM, copy-paste this into your Google search:

Leurcharusmee P, et al. Reg Anesth Pain Med 2023;48:549–552.

https://rapm.bmj.com/content/48/11/549