Spermatic-cord block improves analgesia for day-case testicular surgery.
OBJECTIVE
To assess whether the use of a spermatic-cord block contributes any additional analgesia to that of a conventional analgesic regimen in day-case testicular surgery.


METHODS
In a randomized, double-blind controlled study, 48 patients undergoing day-case testicular surgery received general anaesthesia together with fentanyl and diclofenac for analgesia. In addition, 22 of these patients received 10 mL of 0.5% plain bupivacaine into the spermatic cord at the conclusion of surgery. Visual-analogue pain scores were recorded for each group over the following 24 h.


RESULTS
The visual-analogue pain scores were significantly lower in the immediate recovery period in patients receiving the spermatic-cord block.


CONCLUSIONS
The spermatic-cord block reduced discomfort in the immediate post-operative period in patients undergoing testicular surgery and the procedure should be encouraged to improve the quality of post-operative pain management in such procedures.
Burden
R J
RJ
Shackleton Department of Anaesthesia, Southampton University Hospital Trust, UK.
O'Kelly
S W
SW
Sutton
D
D
Cumming
J
J
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D001340:Autonomic Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D002045:Bupivacaine; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000517:prevention & control; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011446:Prospective Studies; D013085:Spermatic Cord / Q000294:innervation*
D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine