Analgesic Effect of Caudal and Abdominal Nerve Blocks among Children Undergoing Inguinal Surgeries: An Original Research

Abstract

Context: Pediatric inguinal surgeries sometimes cause considerable post-operative pain that requires effective analgesics. Caudal and abdominal nerve blocks may help this population with pain. It is uncertain how successful they are compared. Methods: A randomized controlled trial included 70 pediatric inguinal surgery patients. An abdominal (ANB) or caudal nerve block (CNB) was randomly assigned to participants in addition to usual analgesic treatment. Post-operative pain was measured at various times using a standardized scale. The initial rescue analgesia time and dose were recorded. Statistics were used to compare CNB and ANB results. Results: The CNB and ANB groups were demographically similar. At every time point, the two groups’ analgesic usage and post-operative pain were similar. No serious adverse events occurred in either group. Conclusion: CNB and ANB provide equivalent analgesia for pediatric inguinal surgeries. Both approaches alleviate pain well and have similar post-operative effects. Individual nerve block approaches must be chosen based on patient features and clinical considerations. More research is needed to determine each procedure’s long-term safety and results.

Keywords

• abdominal nerve block
• analgesia
• caudal nerve block
• inguinal procedures
• pediatric surgery