A Comparative Study between Effects of Ultrasound Guided Ilioinguinal /Iliohypogastric Nerve Block versus Caudal Block on Postoperative Analgesia in Children Undergoing Inguinal Surgery

Abstract

Abstract Background The most commonly performed inguinal surgeries in children include inguinal hernia repair with or without orchidopexy and hydrocele repair. For postoperative pain with these surgeries, a regional analgesic modality such as caudal analgesia (CA), ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve block (IL/IH), or even local infiltration is combined with a general anaesthetic (GA). Regional analgesia techniques are commonly used to facilitate pain control during pediatric surgical practice, decrease parenteral opioids requirements and improve the quality of post-operative pain control and patient-parent satisfaction. When compared to intravenous (IV) opioids, regional techniques reduce the risk of side effects such as somnolence, respiratory depression, emesis, and ileus. Patients and Methods: After approval of anesthesia, intensive care and pain management department, scientific and ethical committees, and after informed parental written consents, this prospective randomized clinical trial study was conducted in Ain Shams University Hospitals. This study is considered to be a pilot exploratory study. Forty five children patients were included in the study scheduled for elective inguinal surgeries (e.g.; unilateral inguinal hernia repair, hydrocele repair, or orchidopexy). Patients will be randomized using a random number table and the use of a closed envelopes technique to receive either combined general anesthesia with ultrasound guided caudal block (Group A), combined general anesthesia and ultrasound guided ilioinguinal /iliohypogastric block (Group B), or general anesthesia with intravenous morphine (group C). Results Among 45 children of (27 boys and 18 girls), aged from one to six years old, ASA physical status I–II who were scheduled for elective unilateral inguinal surgeries, fifteen patients received general anesthesia with ultrasound guided caudal epidural anesthesia (1ml/kg bupivacaine 0.25%), fifteen patients received general anesthesia with ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal/ iliohypogastric nerve block (0.5ml/kg bupivacaine 0.25%) and fifteen patient received general anesthesia with intravenous morphine (0.1 mg/kg). Conclusion The current study demonstrated that ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal /iliohypogastric nerve block was more effective than ultrasound guided caudal epidural block or intravenous morphine usage in children aged 1-6 years old undergoing unilateral inguinal surgeries as it carried the advantages of faster onset of action, longer duration of postoperative analgesia, the need of lower volumes of local anesthetic agents with no recorded complications.