title: Successful management of a refractory case of postoperative herniorrhaphy pain with extended duration pulsed radiofrequency.
abstract: Chronic postsurgical pain (CPSP) is a distressful condition following hernia surgery. A 25-year-old, 55 kg male patient presented with severe pain on the right side of the lower abdomen that radiated to the testicle and the inner side of the thigh. Patient was symptomatic since 5 months following inguinal herniorrhaphy surgery. The pain was not relieved with pharmacological and interventional nerve blocks. An ultrasound-guided ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric (II-IH) block with extended duration (42°C, four cycles of 120 s each) pulsed radiofrequency (PRF) and a diagnostic genital branch of genitofemoral nerve (GGFN) block provided pain relief. After 1-month, an extended duration PRF in GGFN resulted in complete resolution of symptoms. During a regular follow-up of 9 months, patient reported an improved quality-of-life. We believe the successful management of CPSP following hernia repair with single extended duration PRF of II-IH and GGFN has not been described in the literature.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Thapa
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Ahuja
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Verma
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesia and Intensive Care, Government Medical College and Hospital, Chandigarh, India.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Das
keywords: Analog pain scale; chronic pain; neuralgia; pulsed radiofrequency