title: Inferior hypogastric plexus blockade versus acupuncture for the management of idiopathic chronic pelvic pain: A randomized clinical trial.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  To compare the clinical efficacies of inferior hypogastric plexus blockade and acupuncture in the management of idiopathic chronic pelvic pain (CPP).
  
  
  METHODS
  The study included 117 patients with CPP. Group 1 included 62 patients who underwent inferior hypogastric plexus blockade and group 2 included 55 patients who underwent acupuncture. Pain level was assessed using a visual analogue scale (VAS) immediately and at 2, 6, and 12 weeks after treatment.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The preprocedure VAS score was 7.6 ± 0.15 in group 1 and 7.7 ± 0.24 in group 2 (p > 0.05). Pelvic pain decreased significantly in both groups after treatment, with pretreatment and posttreatment scores of 7.6 ± 0.15 and 2.2 ± 0.88, respectively, in group 1 (p < 0.0001) and 7.7 ± 0.24 and 4.7 ± 0.11, respectively, in group 2 (p < 0.0001). However, the decrease in pain scores throughout the clinical follow-up was significantly more in group 1 than in group 2 (p< 0.0001). Complete disappearance of symptoms was achieved in 72.6% of patients in group 1 compared to 54.5% of patients in group 2 (p = 0.3737). Patients who did not benefit from the treatment were significantly more in group 2 than in group 1 (25.5% vs. 6.5%, p = 0.0294). No complications were reported in both groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The study results showed that inferior hypogastric blockade had a 72.6% success rate and showed a significantly higher effect on reducing pain intensity in a short period of time in the management of CPP, compared to acupuncture.
authors: Magdy M
authors: MM
authors: Amin
authors: Abdou S
authors: AS
authors: Ait-Allah
authors: Ahmed El-Said A
authors: Ael-S
authors: Ali
authors: Rafat A
authors: RA
authors: Salem
authors: Salah Roshdy
authors: SR
authors: Ahmed
authors: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Qassim University, Buraidah, Saudi Arabia; Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, College of Medicine, Bahri University, Khartoum, Sudan, .
authors: Mohamed Akhatim
authors: MA
authors: Alsammani
mesh_terms: D015670:Acupuncture Therapy; D000328:Adult; D059350:Chronic Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007001:Hypogastric Plexus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000379:methods; D017699:Pelvic Pain / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome