[Bilateral ilioinguinal nerve block for ambulatory varicocele surgery]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effectiveness of bilateral ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric nerve blocks for pain relief following ambulatory bilateral varicocelectomy.

Prospective and randomised.

Sixty adult men scheduled for bilateral varicocelectomy were included in this prospective study. All patients had a standardised general anesthesia. After surgical procedures, patients were randomized into two groups: patients in group I received a bilateral ilioinguinal nerve block with 15 ml x 2 of 0.25% bupivacaine; patients in group II received subcutaneously 1 mg kg-1 of tramadol. Visual analogue pain scores at rest and during mobilisation were recorded at 5 min and 1, 3, 5 postoperative hours. The side effects of analgesia and amounts of rescue analgesics were recorded.

Pain scores at rest and during mobilisation, the incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting and additional analgesics requirement were significantly reduced in group I. There was no complication.

Ilioinguinal nerve block is effective in controlling pain after bilateral varicocelectomy in ambulatory surgery.