Intravenous dexamethasone along with caudal block improves analgesic efficacy following day-case inguinal hernia repair in children: A randomized controlled trial

• Published in: Journal of the Pakistan Medical Association Vol. 69; no. 12; pp. 1785 - 1789
• Main Authors: Nadeem, Amjad, Ahmed, Aliya
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Pakistan Knowledge Bylanes 31.12.2019
• Subjects: Care and treatment; Dexamethasone; Dosage and administration; Drug therapy; Hernia; Inguinal hernia; Nerve block; Pain, Postoperative; Patient outcomes; Pediatric research; Risk factors; Surgery; Pakistan; Paediatric inguinal hernia, Dexamethasone, Anaesthesia, Analgesia
• ISSN: 0030-9982
• DOI: 10.5455/JPMA.301035

To assess the effectiveness of intravenous dexamethasone along with caudal block in improving analgesia following inguinal hernia repair in children. The double-blind randomised controlled trial was conducted over a 6-month period from June 01, 2016 to November 30, 2016 at the Aga Khan University Hospital, Karachi, and comprised patients aged 1-5 years, scheduled for elective inguinal hernia repair. The subjects were randomised into two groups using the sealed envelope technique. Group D patients received 0.5mg/kg dexamethasone intravenous in 5ml, and group P was given placebo (5ml 0.9% saline). Assessment of postoperative pain was made through the faces, legs, activity, cry and consolability tool at 30 minutes and hourly for 4 hours. Rescue analgesia was given at pain score 3 or more with intravenous pethidine 0.5 mg/kg. SPSS 19 was used for data analysis. Of the 64 patients, there were 55(85.9%) boys and 9(14.1%) girls. The overall mean age was 29.8}13.8 months. The mean postoperative pain score was significantly higher in group P (p<0.05). At 30 minutes and two hours postoperatively, need for analgesia was also significantly higher in group P (p<0.05). In paediatric day-care inguinal hernia repair, dexamethasone could be used effectively for improving pain relief.