Comparing Two Regional Anesthesia Techniques for Pain Relief in Children Aged 2 to 16 Undergoing Hip Surgery

What this Trial Is About

This research aims to compare the pain relief effectiveness of two regional anesthesia methods in children aged 2 to 16 undergoing hip surgery. The trial focuses on pediatric patients having orthopedic hip procedures such as osteotomies and reconstructive surgeries, where managing postoperative pain is vital to reduce surgical stress, speed recovery, and limit opioid use. The study evaluates whether combining dexamethasone and dexmedetomidine as adjuvants improves outcomes, guiding better pain management in pediatric hip surgery. Two groups are compared one receives the pericapsular nerve group PENG block combined with the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve block LFCB using ultrasound guidance and ropivacaine at specified doses. The other group receives lumbar and sacral erector spinae plane blocks L-ESPB and S-ESPB, also guided by ultrasound and administered with ropivacaine. Both approaches target nerves supplying the hip region to assess which provides better pain control after surgery. Participants will be monitored for 48 hours after surgery to measure total opioid consumption as the primary outcome. Secondary outcomes include the time to first rescue opioid, pain scores at several time points, and laboratory markers of inflammation. Safety and effectiveness are evaluated through pain rating scales and blood tests. The study is randomized and blinded to ensure fair comparison, with care provided under medical supervision throughout the 48-hour postoperative period.

PENG With LFCB vs. ESP Blocks for Pediatric Hip Surgery