【Purpose】
Comparison of postoperative pain due to traditional open repair (OA) or laparoscopic procedures (LPEC) to repair pediatric inguinal hernia is difficult in patients aged < 5 years. This single institute study was performed to quantitatively evaluate pain associated with LPEC and OA.
【Methods】
Thirty-seven patients aged <5 years underwent inguinal hernia surgery between July 2024 and March 2025. We evaluated postoperative pain at 3 and 6 h using the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability (FLACC) scale, which has been validated for use in children and provides 0–10 range scores.
【Results】
Twenty-four patients underwent OA and 13 underwent LPEC. OA and LPEC group FLACC scores were 0.78 and 0.62 at 3 h and 0.06 and 0.58 at 6 h, respectively, postoperatively.
Nineteen males underwent OA, and two males underwent LPEC. Among males, OA and LPEC group FLACC scores were 0.94 and 0 at 3 h and 0 both at 6 h postoperatively. Five females underwent OA and 11 females underwent LPEC. Among females, OA and LPEC group FLACC scores were 0.2 and 0.73 at 3 h and 0.25 and 0.7 at 6 h postoperatively.
Twenty-seven patients underwent unilateral surgery (23 OA and 4 LPEC). Among these patients, respective FLACC scores at 3 h were 0.74 and 0.25. At 6 h postoperatively, they were 0.06 and 0. Ten patients underwent bilateral surgeries (1 OA and 9 LPEC). Among these patients, respective FLACC scores at 3 h were 1 and 0.78. At 6 h postoperatively, they were 0 and 0.88.
【Conclusions】
The FLACC scale quantitatively revealed that bilateral OA and male OA were more painful at 3 h postoperatively, but more pain persisted at 6 h postoperatively among bilateral and female LPEC patients.
A larger study is required to verify these findings.
Keywords: inguinal hernia, FLACC, postoperative pain
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