Comparison of Ilioinguinal/Iliohypogastric Nerve Block and Ilioinguinal/Iliohypogastric Nerve Block Plus Genitofemoral Nerve Block in Patients with Chronic Pelvic/Groin Pain: A Retrospective Quasi-experimental Study

Background: Chronic pelvic/groin pain (CP/GP) is a debilitating condition with various treatment options, including nerve blocks. This study aimed to compare the effectiveness of ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric (II/IH) nerve block and the combination of genitofemoral (GF) and II/IH nerve block in patients with CP/GP. Methods: This retrospective quasi-experimental (longitudinal) study was conducted at Labbafinejad Hospital (Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Science, Tehran, Iran) and assessed the medical records of 54 patients with CP/GP. Patients alternately received interventions from an experienced pain specialist. Twenty-six patients received the II/IH plus GFN block, and 28 patients received the II/IH nerve block alone. Visual analog scale (VAS) scores (before and 1, 2, and 3 months after intervention) available in medical records were extracted for all patients. Results: In the first (P=0.019), second (P=0.015), and third month (P=0.021) following the intervention, patients in the G+I group consistently reported significantly lower pain severity compared to patients in the I group. Patients with pain from surgical causes demonstrated significantly better treatment response than those with idiopathic causes in the second (P=0.014, 0.021) and third months (P=0.015, 0.026) post-intervention in the G+I group compared to the I group. Conclusion: Both II/IH nerve block and II/IH nerve block plus GFN block are effective in treating CP/GP. However, patients who received II/IH nerve block plus GFN block demonstrated a better treatment response than those who received II/IH nerve block alone. Additionally, it is worth noting that patients with pain from surgical causes reported lower pain intensity compared to patients with idiopathic causes in both treatment groups.