A comparison between the effect of TAP block and ilioinguinal, iliohypogastric nerve block on postoperative pain in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia

Abstract

Background: Effective management of postoperative pain remains a primary concern for anesthesiologists, particularly in day-case procedures like inguinal hernia repair. Adequate pain control can significantly enhance patient satisfaction, reduce hospital stays, and facilitate early mobilization. Two commonly used ultrasound-guided regional anesthesia techniques for managing postoperative pain in this setting are the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block and the ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric (IH) nerve block. Aim of Study: To compare the analgesic efficacy of TAP block versus IH nerve block in reducing postoperative pain following elective inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia. Patients and Methods: Sixty patients scheduled for elective inguinal hernia repair were randomly divided into two groups. Group TAP (n=30) received a transversus abdominis plane block, while Group IH (n=30) received an ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve block, both administered postoperatively. Standard intraoperative monitoring included pulse oximetry, continuous ECG, non-invasive blood pressure (NIBP), temperature, and capnography. Pain intensity was assessed using the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), along with monitoring of pulse rate and blood pressure. Results: At immediate postoperative recovery (Time 1), pain scores showed no significant difference between groups. At one hour (Time 2), a statistically significant difference was observed (TAP: 2.20±0.61 vs IH: 1.90±0.30). At four and eight hours postoperatively (Times 3 and 4), the IH group demonstrated significantly lower VAS scores (p