This research project aims to identify a safer method of spinal anaesthesia for elderly patients undergoing surgical stabilisation of proximal femoral fractures.
The study's primary objective is to compare two spinal anaesthesia techniques: the continuous method (investigational), which allows titration of local anaesthetic doses through a catheter placed in the subarachnoid space, and the conventional single-shot bolus injection.
The main hypothesis is that the continuous catheter technique reduces the incidence of intraoperative hypotension and related complications, such as delirium, acute kidney injury, and cardiovascular events.
Beyond haemodynamic stability-assessed through advanced continuous monitoring of cardiac output and vascular resistance-the study will evaluate early and late complications, as well as quality of life up to 24 months post-surgery.
The project is a prospective, randomised, multicentre clinical trial including at least 216 patients over 50 years of age, randomly assigned to one of the two groups.
Proximal femoral fractures are a major and growing global health issue, particularly among geriatric patients with multiple comorbidities. The conventional single-shot spinal anaesthesia, though widely used, carries a high risk of hypotension, potentially leading to delirium, acute kidney injury, stroke, and cardiac events. These complications worsen prognosis, decrease quality of life, and increase mortality.
Most existing studies are over two decades old, based on small cohorts and outdated anaesthetic protocols, and lack long-term follow-up data (\>30 days) on neurological outcomes, functional recovery, quality of life, and mortality. Moreover, no modern trials have provided direct, comprehensive comparisons between single-shot and continuous spinal anaesthesia.
This project therefore seeks to fill this critical evidence gap through a robust randomised clinical trial. Using precise, continuous measurements of arterial pressure, vascular resistance, and cardiac output, alongside long-term assessments of neurological outcomes, quality of life, and survival, it aims to determine whether continuous spinal anaesthesia offers superior safety and should become the new standard of care for this vulnerable population.