Influence of ultrasound-guided block of the pudendal nerve to reduce pain after anorectal surgery

Abstract

Introduction: Bilateral pudendal nerve block by ultrasound could offer adequate postoperative analgesia after anorectal surgery. Objective: To evaluate the influence of ultrasound-guided bilateral pudendal nerve blockade in reducing pain in anorectal surgery patients, during the period from February 2017 to October 2017. Methods: Experimental, prospective, randomized study, where evaluated postoperative pain. Two groups of patients were determined who, after surgery for benign anorectal pathology, underwent bilateral ultrasound-guided pudendal nerve block (experimental group) or through topographic relationships (control group). Postoperative pain was evaluated using the visual analog pain scale at the time of discharge from the operating room, at 24 hours and with the first defecation. Results: A total of 12 patients, six for each group, 66.67% women and 33.33% men, with an average age of 42.92 years. When analyzing the pain scale as a variable of the ordinal qualitative type (severity) and comparing the proportion within each value, it was observed that 66.67% of the experimental group did not present pain at the time of discharge from the operating room, compared to 33. 33% of the control group. Conclusions: The ultrasound-guided pudendal nerve block is a procedure that reduces postoperative pain.