RESUMEN
INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Renal colic is one of the most intense pains known to humans. Standard treatment usually consists of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and opiates, but they do not always provide optimum efficacy and speed in relieving the pain. For more than 25 years, our hospital has been employing twelfth subcostal nerve block. The objective of the present study was to compare the efficacy of subcostal nerve block with lidocaine versus intramuscular diclofenac in renal colic management. METHODS: Sixty patients of both sexes, above the age of 18 years, and presenting with renal colic were randomly selected for the study. The visual analog scale was applied prior to the treatment and at minutes 1, 3, 5, 30, and 45 after the application of the twelfth nerve block or the intramuscular administration of diclofenac. RESULTS: A total of 60 patients, 35 women and 25 men, were included in the study. There were statistically significant differences in the mean scores for pain from minute 1 to minute 45. There were no adverse effects. CONCLUSIONS: Twelfth Subcostal nerve block with lidocaine is an efficacious, safe, inexpensive, and very fast-acting medication for pain control related to renal colic. These characteristics make it superior to diclofenac.