Related Experiment Video

Updated: Sep 16, 2025

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Success of Ultrasound-Guided Neuraxial Anesthesia in Cases with Difficult Anatomy
03:14

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Success of Ultrasound-Guided Neuraxial Anesthesia in Cases with Difficult Anatomy

Published on: January 31, 2025

577

Comparison of the Analgesic Effects of Ultrasound-Guided Caudal Versus Ilioinguinal/Iliohypogastric Nerve Block

Jyoti Burad1, Amitabh Sen1, Bhadrinath Narayanan1

  • 1Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Sultan Qaboos University Hospital, Muscat, OMN.

Cureus
|July 11, 2025
PubMed

Insights

For pediatric inguinal surgery, both caudal nerve blocks and ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric (ILIH) nerve blocks offer comparable pain relief. This study found no significant difference in pain scores or need for rescue analgesia between the two techniques.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Surgical Pain Management
  • Regional Anesthesia Techniques

Background:

  • Caudal nerve blocks are standard for pediatric inguinal surgery but may cause prolonged weakness.
  • The ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric (ILIH) nerve block is a less common alternative.
  • This study compares the efficacy of caudal versus ILIH blocks in children undergoing inguinal surgery.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare the effectiveness of caudal nerve blocks and ILIH nerve blocks for pain management in pediatric patients undergoing inguinal surgery.
  • To evaluate pain reduction and the requirement for rescue analgesia following these two regional anesthesia techniques.

Main Methods:

  • A double-blinded, randomized controlled trial involving 20 pediatric patients (6 months to 12 years) undergoing inguinal surgery.
  • Patients received either a caudal block (Group 1, n=8) or an ILIH block (Group 2, n=12).
  • Pain was assessed using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry and Consolability (FLACC) scale and Numeric Rating Scale (NRS).

Main Results:

  • No statistically significant differences in pain scores were observed between the caudal and ILIH block groups at various time points post-surgery (30 minutes, PACU discharge, 2, 3, 6 hours, ward discharge, and day 2 at home).
  • The use of rescue analgesia was slightly higher in the caudal group, but this difference was not statistically significant (p=0.7055).
  • Time from block placement to ward discharge was similar for both groups (p=0.746).

Conclusions:

  • Both caudal and ILIH nerve blocks demonstrate similar analgesic efficacy for pediatric inguinal surgery.
  • Further large-scale studies are recommended to validate these findings and establish definitive clinical recommendations.
Abstract

Keywords:
flacc scoreinguinal surgeryrescue analgesiaultrasound-guided caudal blockultrasound-guided lioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve block

More Related Videos

An Ultrasonic Tool for Nerve Conduction Block in Diabetic Rat Models10:27

An Ultrasonic Tool for Nerve Conduction Block in Diabetic Rat Models

Published on: October 20, 2017

7.5K
Fixation of Ultrasound Transducers for Spinal Cord Neuromodulation in Mice03:26

Fixation of Ultrasound Transducers for Spinal Cord Neuromodulation in Mice

Published on: August 1, 2025

176

Related Concept Videos

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia01:11

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia

Spinal anesthetics are given during lower abdomen and limb surgeries to block sensory and motor neurons. They are administered in the mid to low lumbar regions, primarily acting on the cauda equina's nerve roots. The blockade level depends on the local anesthetic (LA) concentration. Usually, low LA concentrations are sufficient to block sensory fibers, while only high LA concentrations block motor fibers. Other factors like injection volume and speed, the patient's posture, and the drug...
807
Abdominal Regions and Quadrants01:19

Abdominal Regions and Quadrants

To promote clear communication, for instance, about the location of a patient's abdominal pain or a suspicious mass, anatomists and clinicians typically use imaginary lines to categorize the abdominopelvic cavity into either four quadrants or nine regions to identify organs in the cavity.
The simpler quadrants approach, which is more commonly used in medicine, subdivides the cavity with one horizontal and one vertical line that intersects at the patient's umbilicus (navel). The four...
12.5K
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia01:29

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia

Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
502
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia01:16

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Intravenous Regional Anesthesia

Intravenous regional anesthesia or the Bier block technique is used to anesthetize a specific limb or extremity. It uses exsanguinated or blood-drained vessels to transport local anesthetics or LAs to the peripheral nerve trunks. Lidocaine without vasoconstrictors like epinephrine is most commonly used for this technique. Other drugs used are prilocaine, ropivacaine, and chloroprocaine. Bupivacaine is not recommended for this technique due to its high cardiac toxicity.
One of the advantages of...
594
Local Anesthetics: Differential Sensitivity of Nerve Fibers01:24

Local Anesthetics: Differential Sensitivity of Nerve Fibers

Local anesthetics (LAs) block the sodium channels of nerve trunks, sensory nerve endings, and neuromuscular junctions. Although LAs can block all kinds of nerves, the sensitivity of nerve fibers differs according to nerve types and structures. LAs are known to block myelinated fibers faster than unmyelinated ones. Also, they block pain or sensory neurons at low concentrations without affecting the motor neurons involved in muscle contractions. This helps relieve labor pain without affecting the...
942
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia01:30

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Surface, Infiltration, and Conduction Block Anesthesia

Depending on the target organ, local anesthetics (LAs) can be administered via various routes. In surface anesthesia, LAs are applied directly to the surface of the skin or mucous membranes. It is widely used for topical skin numbing before venipuncture or minor surgical procedures. Commonly used surface local anesthetics are lidocaine or benzocaine sprays or creams. Surface anesthesia occurs within 5 minutes and lasts for about 60 minutes. One of the main disadvantages of topical anesthesia is...
1.2K