title: The effect of opioids on field block for hernia repair: a study comparing pethidine with a placebo.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Intramuscular (IM) pethidine injection is used as pre-analgesia (pre-medication) in hernia repair under local anaesthesia in some district hospitals. We evaluated the relevance of this practice in a facility based study at one of the district hospitals in Ghana.
  
  
  METHODS
  One hundred and twenty patients above 10 years of age with a mean age of approximately 49 years diagnosed as having inguinal hernias of different sizes were recruited into the study. Each group of 60 patients was randomly selected. A maximum of 50 ml 1% lignocaine plus 2 ml (100 mg) of pethidine was used in group A and 50 ml 1% lignocaine plus 2 ml of sterile water in group B. A score ranging from 0 to 3 was assigned at the end of each surgery depending on the degree of pain experienced.
  
  
  RESULTS
  33.3%, 33.3%, 21.7% and 11.7% of patients in group A scored 0, 1, 2, and 3 respectively in pain perception while 26.7%, 33.3%, 25% and 15.0% were the scores in group B. None of the patients in group B experienced an adverse effect to any of the agents used. 2% and 5% in group A experienced nausea and generalized pruritus respectively. Post-operation condition was satisfactory and all patients were discharged the same day.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
authors.affiliation: Tain District Hospital, Nsawkaw, BrongAhafo Region (BAR); Ghana.
authors.forename: M R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Adjei
authors.affiliation: Regional Health Directorate, Sunyani, BAR; Ghana.
authors.forename: T S
authors.initials: TS
authors.lastname: Letsa
authors.affiliation: Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, BAR; Ghana.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Mahama
authors.affiliation: Kintampo Health Research Centre, Kintampo, BAR; Ghana.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Owusu-Agyei