Comparison of two analgesic block techniques for circumcision: dorsal penile nerve block and caudal block

Abstract

Background: Circumcision is most common and oldest surgery but also could be frightening for children because of postoperative pain. Authors aim to evaluate postoperative pain conditions of patients by using the visual pain scale (VPS).Methods: Between 2016 and 2018, 168 children undergone circumcision. The patients were splitted into three groups depend on their anesthetic care; the dorsal penile block (DPNB), caudal block (CB) and combine block.Results: The mean age were 95.3±20.9 (65-186) months. There was no significant difference between the CB and combine block in VPS at 1st, 3rd hours and second days (p=0.19, p=0.39 and p=0.9 respectively). The VPS significantly higher in the DPNB arm when compared with caudal and combine block arm at 1st and 3rd hours (p<0.01 and p<0.01 respectively) but there was no significant difference between the DPNB and caudal block at second days (p=0.9). There was no significant difference between groups for analgesic requirements (p=0.07). Incidences of nausea and vomiting were seen rarely especially in the DPNB arm and the difference was not statistically significant among the groups (p=0.9).Conclusions: CB and DPNB are effective techniques for pain relief following penile surgery. CB has superior to DPNB at 1st and 3rd hours but no difference at follow up. Both techniques are appropriate methods for postoperative pain relief.