Abstract
BackgroundChronic postherniorrhaphy groin pain (CPGP) is a debilitating condition, which is often refractory to conservative medical management. To our knowledge, there have been no studies directly comparing landmarked-based and ultrasound-guided approaches in this population.ObjectiveTo compare the effectiveness of landmark-based and ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve blocks in the treatment of CPGP.Study designThis is a retrospective chart review of patients who presented to our tertiary care pain medicine clinic with a diagnosis of CPGP. Inclusion criteria were the following: age >18 years, diagnosis of groin pain, and prior history of herniorrhaphy. Exclusion criteria included those who were seen for initial consultation but were lost to follow-up. Primary outcomes were 50% or greater reduction in pain on visual analog scale (VAS). Secondary outcomes were 30% or greater reduction in VAS pain score, changes in VAS pain scores, and reported complications.ResultsA total of 36 patients were included in the study. Of them, 20 patients underwent the landmark-based and 16 underwent the ultrasound-guided techniques. There was no significant difference in baseline demographics. The average VAS score preinjection was 7.08 in the landmark-based and 7.0 in the ultrasound-guided groups (P=0.65). A total of 14 patients (70%) in the landmark-based and eleven patients (79%) in the ultrasound-guided groups experienced at least a 50% reduction in VAS scores. There was no statistically significant difference between the two groups (P=1.0), and no complications were noted. We also did not find a significant difference in terms of number of patients with 30% or greater reduction (P=0.71) and changes in VAS pain scores (P=0.64). No complications were reported in either group.ConclusionIn our study, there was no statistically significant difference between the landmark-based and ultrasound-guided groups in terms of a reduction in VAS pain scores, and no complications were noted in either group.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.