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

ABSTRACT 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. 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. 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. 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.