Objective: To compare the postoperative analgesic efficacy of quadratus lumborum block (QLB) and ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric nerve block (IIIHB) in paediatric patients who have undergone unilateral inguinal hernia surgery.
Methods: This prospective randomized controlled study was designed in a single center and included 60 paediatric patients aged 2-7 years who had undergone inguinal hernia repair surgery and received an American Society of Anesthesiologists score of 1-2. Patients were randomized into two groups: those receiving ultrasound-guided QLB and those receiving IIIHB. The primary outcomes of the study were patients' face, legs, activity, cry, and consolability (FLACC) scores at 1, 2, 6, 12, and 24 hours post-surgery.
Results: The mean heart rate 15 and 30 minutes post-surgery in the QLB group was lower than that of the IIIHB group, and the difference at both times was statistically significant (P < 0.001). The mean FLACC score of the QLB group was lower than that of the IIIHB group at 6, 12, and 24 hours post-surgery, and the differences were statistically significant (P=0.004, P=0.006, and P < 0.001, respectively). Between the groups, there was no statistically significant difference in the number of patients who were administered rescue analgesics or oral ibuprofen, the time of first ibuprofen administration, or the frequency of complications (P=1.000, P=0.145, P=0.195, and P=1.000, respectively).
Conclusion: Compared with IIIHB, QLB achieves superior postoperative analgesic effects in paediatric patients who have undergone inguinal hernia surgery, as evidenced by longer analgesic periods, lower pain scores, and lower analgesic consumption.
Keywords: Inguinal hernia; nerve block; paediatric anaesthesia; pain; regional anaesthesia.