evaluation of efficacy of ultrasound guided ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve block for post operative analgesia after addition of dexamethasone in adult patients undergoing unilateral inguinal hernioplasty under subarachnoid block

Background: we assessed postoperative analgesic effect of ultrasound guided ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerve block, duration of action of the said block as well as the overall analgesic consumption in the first 24 hours of postoperative period after addition of dexamethasone. methods: after approval from the institutional ethics committee, hospital based randomized prospective study was carried out in patients of age group 40-60 years by dividing them into two groups a and b, posted for unilateral inguinal hernioplasty, comparing ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric block with ropivacaine 0.375% and ropivacaine 0.375% with dexamethasone 4mg respectively. the aim of the study was to assess the postoperative analgesia with visual analogue scale (vas) and satisfactory score and total analgesic consumption and time till rescue analgesia. statistical analysis: we used chi-square test and paired t test and p<0.05 was considered statistically significant. results: mean of duration of analgesia was significantly prolonged in group b (14.13±3.461 h) as compared to group a (5.77±2.161 h). patients in group b had significantly lower vas score and less number of rescue analgesic requirements in first 24 hours (h) postoperatively. no adverse effects recorded in any group. conclusion: dexamethasone as an adjuvant with ropivacaine in ultrasound guided ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric block provided profound prolongation of duration of postoperative analgesia and reduces analgesic consumption of patients undergoing subarachnoid block for unilateral inguinal hernioplasty.