Comparative efficacy of postoperative analgesia between ultrasound-guided dual transversus abdominis plane and Ilioinguinal/Iliohypogastric nerve blocks for open inguinal hernia repair: An open label prospective randomised comparative clinical trial.

Background And Aims: Transversus abdominis plane (TAP) and Ilioinguinal/Iliohypogastric (IL/IH) nerve blocks have been advocated in reducing postoperative pain and additional analgesic requirement following lower abdominal surgeries with varied effect. The aim of this study was to determine post-operative analgesic efficacy by comparing dual TAP [combining TAP and IL/IH nerve blocks] and IL/IH nerve block alone for open inguinal hernia repair.

Methods: Two hundred patients undergoing elective primary unilateral open inguinal hernia repair with a mesh were included in to this trial.