Comparison of Postoperative Analgesic Effects of Quadro-iliac Plane Block and Transversus Abdominis Plane Blocks in Inguinal Hernia Surgery

Comparison of Postoperative Analgesic Effects of Quadro-iliac Plane Block and Transversus Abdominis Plane Blocks in Inguinal Hernia Surgery

Inguinal hernia repair is one of the most commonly performed surgical procedures worldwide. Despite being classified as a minor surgical intervention, moderate to severe postoperative pain is reported in approximately 60% of patients. In a subset of these patients, acute postoperative pain may persist and evolve into chronic post-surgical inguinal pain, significantly affecting quality of life.

In recent years, beyond the use of systemic intravenous analgesics, ultrasound-guided fascial plane blocks have been increasingly incorporated into multimodal analgesia protocols with the aim of reducing postoperative opioid consumption and improving pain control. However, the current literature does not provide definitive evidence regarding the superiority of one block technique over another in this surgical population.

The primary objective of the present study is to compare the analgesic efficacy of the Quadro-iliac Plane Block (QIPB) and the transversus abdominis plane block (TAPB) in patients undergoing inguinal hernia repair.

Inclusion Criteria:

• Patients aged between 18 and 65 years
• Patients with an American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status classification of I-III.
• Patients with a body mass index (BMI) between 18 and 30 kg/m².
• Patients scheduled to undergo unilateral inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia in the operating room.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Patients younger than 18 years or older than 65 years.
• Patients with an ASA physical status classification of IV or higher.
• Patients with advanced comorbidities.
• Patients with a history of bleeding diathesis.
• Patients with infection at the site of the planned procedure.
• Patients with a BMI below 18 kg/m² or above 30 kg/m².