You are right about Lidoderm patches - they are generally only effective when the affected nerve is superficial. Therefore, for the ilioinguinal or the genitofemoral (or their distal branches) the patch can be very effective symptom management. However, even in those cases the patch is not a permanent solution as the underlying problem (nerve compression or a neuroma from a nerve injured during your expolratory laparotomy procedure) is still present. In addition, as noted by others on this thread, lidoderm patches are ineffective in other areas, because the nerves that are affected are simply too deep and the lidocaine dermal preparation isn't designed to penetrate that far through the skin. For example, those who have posted trying to put the patches in a paraspinal (i.e. along the spine) location are unlikely to find success as the nerve roots are very deep in those locations and lidocaine in the patch will never get there.