Inguinal Hernia Repair in a Neonate

This chapter describes inguinal hernia repair in the neonatal infant, which is one of the most commonly performed pediatric surgeries on an ambulatory basis. However, as many patients were born prematurely, a variety of analgesic concerns exist such as comorbid chronic lung disease or the concurrent risk of postoperative apnea depending on age at presentation. Additionally as acute pain in the neonatal population is often underappreciated and may have a lasting impact, numerous analgesic modalities should be considered. Intraoperatively, while general anesthesia is an option, numerous regional anesthetic techniques are available that may minimize the use of sedating agents. Both neuraxial (epidural, spinal, caudal injection) and peripheral (ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric blockade, paravertebral blockade, or transversus abdominis plane blockade) are available as analgesic modalities and in some scenarios surgical modalities. With the use of any of these modalities, complications such as nerve damage, failed block, and local anesthetic toxicity may occur. Following surgery, some neonates may require further monitoring for apneic events. Upon discharge, non-opioid analgesia including acetaminophen and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) if age permits should be emphasized.