normal saline + PENG block

Normal saline + PENG block is a placebo intervention used in clinical research to evaluate the efficacy of regional anesthesia. It involves an ultrasound-guided pericapsular nerve group (PENG) block where 20 mL of 0.9% normal saline (isotonic sodium chloride) is injected instead of a local anesthetic. The injection is targeted beneath the psoas tendon and above the iliopubic eminence. This specific intervention was utilized as the control arm in a randomized, triple-masked trial (NCT05118620) led by the University of California, San Diego, to assess postoperative analgesia following hip arthroscopy. As a placebo, it lacks pharmacologically active ingredients for pain relief and serves as an inert comparator to evaluate the relative risks and benefits of active nerve blockade.

Other names

saline PENG block