Retrospective Observational Study to Compare the Outcomes of Administration of Spinal Anaesthesia vs Local Infiltration Field Block Anaesthesia for Open Surgical Treatment of Inguinal Hernia.

Abstract

Background: One of the first surgical disorders in human history is a hernia. In the modern world, one of the surgeries that surgeons undertake most frequently worldwide is the elective treatment of an inguinal hernia. The goal of the current study was to assess the post-operative discomfort, length of hospital stay, and related problems between hernioplasty procedures performed under spinal anesthesia and local infiltration field block anesthesia.

Materials & Methods: A retrospective observational study was conducted in 60 patients who were more than 18yrs of age, admitted for management of primary uncomplicated unilateral inguinal hernia from Jan 2023 to Jan 2024. This study excluded the patients presenting with bilateral inguinal hernia, inguinal hernia with recurrence, patients with history of hypersensitivity to anaesthetic agents and patients presenting with complicated inguinal hernia. 30 patients in Group A were administered local infiltration field block anaesthesia and 30 patients in group B were administered  spinal anaesthesia block for open surgical management. The VAS score was used to evaluate each patient's post-operative discomfort, length of hospital stay, and problems.

Result: The study included 60 patients with an average patient age as 42.14 +/- 4.16years. It showed that the mean VAS score was significantly much lower in patients who received local infiltration anaesthesia as compared to those who received spinal anaesthesia(p<0.05). Furthermore, the incidence of headache, hypotension, and urine retention was significantly higher in the spinal anesthesia group than in the local anesthesia group (p<0.05).

Conclusion: Open Inguinal hernia repair done under local infiltration anaesthesia field block was found to be equally safe and efficient as spinal anaesthesia and also offers additional advantages such as reduced post operative pain, shorter hospital stay and absence of complications associated with spinal anaesthesia.