Regional anesthesia is a good alternative to general anesthesia in pediatric surgery: Experience in 1,554 children

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Sema Uguralp1, Murat Mutus, Ahmet Koroglu

  • 1Departments of Pediatric Surgery and Anesthesiology, Turgut Ozal Medical Center, Inonu University, Faculty of Medicine, Malatya, Turkey.

Journal of Pediatric Surgery
|March 26, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Caudal anesthesia is a safe and effective technique for pediatric infraumbilical surgeries, suitable as a primary anesthetic or for postoperative pain relief. This study validates its use in 1,554 cases.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Regional Anesthesia Techniques
  • Surgical Pain Management

Background:

  • General anesthesia (GA) is common for pediatric infraumbilical surgeries, despite the availability of regional blocks.
  • Regional blocks are often used solely for postoperative analgesia following GA.
  • The study addresses the need to assess the validity and outcomes of regional anesthesia in children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To document the results and complications of 1,554 regional anesthesia cases in children.
  • To assess the validity of caudal and spinal blocks in pediatric surgery.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of caudal anesthesia as a sole anesthetic or for postoperative analgesia.

Main Methods:

  • Retrospective analysis of 1,459 caudal blocks and 95 spinal blocks in children (newborn to 12 years).
  • Cases included caudal block only, caudal block with GA, GA with caudal block, GA with spinal block, and spinal block only.
  • Data collected until January 2001.

Main Results:

  • 1,338 caudal and 95 spinal block cases were clinically satisfactory.
  • General anesthesia was required in 39 cases due to insufficient caudal block duration.
  • Caudal block failure occurred in 5.57% (82 cases).
  • 257 patients received caudal block for postoperative analgesia after GA.

Conclusions:

  • Caudal anesthesia is an inexpensive, simple, and effective technique for pediatric infraumbilical surgery.
  • It is effective as a single anesthetic method and as a supplement for postoperative analgesia.
  • The authors recommend wider clinical use of caudal anesthesia in children for infraumbilical procedures.
Abstract

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