The impact of preemptive ropivacaine in inguinal hernioplasty--a randomized controlled trial

This study was aimed to assess the outcome of Ilioinguinal, Iliohypogastric block and wound infiltration with 0.75% ropivacaine on pain perception, first analgesic request and hospital stay following inguinal Lichtenstein mesh repair.

This was a prospective, randomized, double-blind study with 60 patients undergoing inguinal hernioplasty under general anesthesia. Patients were randomly allocated to one of the two groups by the sealed envelope method. Group 1 (n=30) received nerve blocks and incision infiltration with 0.75% ropivacaine while group 2 (n=30) received isotonic saline. Postoperatively pain intensity, time of demand for the first analgesic and duration of hospital stay were assessed.

Median Visual Analog Scale (VAS) score of group 1 was 4 (high=6, low=3) while for group 2 was 5.50 (high=8, low=4) and the p value was <0.001. Mean time for the demand of the first analgesic was prolonged from 1.19±1.05 h to 5.31±1.14 h with the p value of <0.0005, while the mean time of hospital stay was reduced from 22.5±3.30 h to 14.1±2.99 h with the p value of <0.0005.

Preemptive analgesia with 0.75% ropivacaine causes significant reduction in pain perception, request for an analgesic and hospital stay. Therefore it is advisable before inguinal hernioplasty.