Risks | Femoralis Catheter

Risks

The risks of femoral blockage are very manageable. It is a routine procedure which in most cases runs smoothly. However, cardiovascular problems and nerve damage should still be mentioned as a risk, although these occur very rarely.

As a complication, for example, the nerve can be injured during the puncture with the puncture needle. In addition, local anesthetics can be introduced into the nerve, which can lead to cell damage in the nerve. These damages of the nerve can have different degrees of severity.

Depending on how severe the damage is, it can lead to long-term loss of muscle and sensitivity. There is also the possibility that the painkiller may be delivered into the blood vessels. From these blood vessels the anesthetic also reaches the heart.

This can lead to cardiac rhythm disturbances. This can lead to a reduced heart rate (bradycardia) and reduced blood pressure (hypotension). However, during the procedure blood pressure, heart rate and oxygen saturation are monitored.

As side effects, the usual side effects of local anesthesia should be mentioned. A necessary and expected side effect is the loss of the muscles innervated by the femoral nerve during the treatment. Especially stretching of the knee will not be possible. Minor side effects are also bruises after the puncture.

How long does it work?

How long the femoral block is effective depends very much on the dose of the local anesthetic. A certain amount of local anesthetic is administered through the catheter, which is adjusted by the physicians to the duration of the procedure. If it is an indwelling catheter through which a local anesthetic can be continuously administered, the Famoralis block has an unlimited duration of action.

Of course, only under the condition that local anesthetics are given permanently. The length of time the femoralis catheter is in place depends, just like the duration of effect, on the type of intervention. If it concerns only the short term anaesthesia with a smaller operation at the leg, the local anaesthetic is given over the femoralis catheter once.

The catheter is then withdrawn. However, if it is a longer-term pain therapy after a major operation, the catheter is usually left in place for several days to ensure continuous anaesthesia of the wound.