Evaluating the Duration of Postop Analgesia Following Ultrasound Guided Transversalis Fascia Plane Block In Patients Undergoing Open Inguinal Hernia Surgery

Background: Regional anaesthesia techniques play a vital role in multimodal postoperative pain management for lower abdominal surgeries. The ultrasound-guided transversalis fascia plane block has emerged as an effective truncal block targeting the ilioinguinal and iliohypogastric nerves, offering prolonged analgesia with minimal complications.

Aim: To evaluate the duration and quality of postoperative analgesia provided by ultrasound-guided transversalis fascia plane block in patients undergoing elective open inguinal hernia repair under spinal anaesthesia.

Materials and Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted over 12 months in the Department of Anaesthesiology at a tertiary care hospital. Fifty adult patients with American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status I and II, aged 18–75 years, scheduled for elective open inguinal hernia repair were included. All patients received spinal anaesthesia followed by ultrasound-guided transversalis fascia plane block using 20 ml of 0.25% bupivacaine at the end of surgery. Postoperative analgesia was assessed using Visual Analogue Scale scores, heart rate, blood pressure, duration of analgesia, and time to first rescue analgesic.

Results: Effective postoperative analgesia was observed for an average duration of 12–13 hours. Pain scores remained minimal in the early postoperative period and increased gradually after block regression. Higher body mass index was associated with increased opioid requirements, while weight and height showed no significant correlation.

Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided transversalis fascia plane block provides effective and prolonged postoperative analgesia following open inguinal hernia surgery and may serve as a reliable component of multimodal pain management strategies