ABSTRACT
Background: Surgery in patients with schistosomal liver disease is usually associated with high risks of morbidity and mortality. Bilateral paravertebral block [BPVB] has been advocated as a useful technique for ventral abdominal hernias' repairs
Aim of the study: To compare the efficacy of BPVB with general anesthesia [GA] for anterior abdominal wall hernias in advanced schistosomal liver disease patients
Patients and Methods: Sixty patients were randomly allocated into two groups to receive either GA or BPVB. Variables were hospital stay, hemodynamic stability, postoperative nausea and vomiting [PONY], postoperative pain measured on a visual analogue scale [VAS] with assessment of the hepatic cell integrity using glutathione S transferase alpha [GSTA] and other liver enzymes
Results: The main significant finding was an apparently significant shorter length of hospital stay following BPVB as compared with GA in patients [P < 0.005]
Conclusions: BPVB was superior to GA following abdominal ventral hernia repair in schistosomal liver fibrosis patients