The Effect of Dexamethasone Administration Route in PENG Block for Pediatric Hip Surgery

This study aims to assess the impact of the administration route of dexamethasone (intravenous vs. perineural) on postoperative pain, inflammatory response, and neuromonitoring parameters in pediatric patients undergoing hip surgery. The primary outcome is postoperative pain intensity measured using an age-appropriate pain scale at multiple time intervals. Secondary outcomes include inflammatory markers such as neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), opioid consumption, time to first rescue analgesia, and overall patient recovery. This randomized, double-blinded study seeks to improve pain management strategies and optimize anesthesia protocols in pediatric hip surgery.