Effective Pain Management After Total Hip Arthroplasty in a Sickle Cell Patient Emphasizing Dexamethasone Sodium Phosphate/Methylprednisolone Acetate Administered via a Peripheral Nerve Blockade: A Case Report.

Abstract

Pain control after total hip arthroplasty in sickle cell patients is challenging yet essential to prevent sickle cell crises or protracted hospital stays. We present a case of effective analgesia that lasted for weeks in a young opioid-tolerant female. This was achieved by the administration of glucocorticoids with different durations of action, dexamethasone sodium phosphate/methylprednisolone acetate, via a femoral/lateral femoral cutaneous nerve block placed preoperatively. Postoperatively, the patient s opioid demand was unchanged from her preoperative baseline. She met all the discharge requirements, including physical therapy targets, on postoperative day 2 and did not have any complications during the hospitalization.