Evaluating Safety Outcomes for Benign Scrotal Surgery Performed Under Local Anesthesia

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Ambulatory Surgery
• Anesthesiology

Background:

• Benign scrotal conditions often require surgery under general or spinal anesthesia, increasing risks and costs.
• Limited data exists on the outcomes and complications of using local anesthesia (LA) for these procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and efficacy of local anesthesia (LA) alone for benign scrotal surgeries in an ambulatory setting.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective review of 303 adult patients undergoing hydrocelectomy, spermatocelectomy, epididymectomy, or testicular biopsy under LA.
• LA administered as a mixture of lidocaine and bupivacaine via spermatic cord block and median raphe injection.
• Analysis of demographics, intraoperative events, postoperative complications, and follow-up outcomes.

Main Results:

• All 303 procedures were successfully completed under LA without conversion or intraoperative complications.
• Low complication rate: 1.0% (3 patients) presented to the ED for suspected wound infections.
• No postoperative hospital admissions or primary care visits for procedure-related issues were reported at 4-6 week follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Local anesthesia (LA) alone is a safe and effective option for benign scrotal procedures in an ambulatory setting.
• This approach demonstrates high procedural success and low complication rates.
• Utilizing LA can enhance surgical efficiency, decrease healthcare expenses, and improve access to timely urologic care.