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Epidural anesthesia for pediatric surgery in a university hospital in Saudi Arabia

Wadha M Alotaibi1

  • 1Department of Anesthesia, College of Medicine, King Saud University, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. wadhm@yahoo.com

Saudi Medical Journal
|December 17, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Epidural blockade is a safe and effective anesthesia technique for pediatric patients, providing excellent intraoperative stability and postoperative pain management with no reported complications.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Regional Anesthesia Techniques

Background:

  • Epidural anesthesia is a common regional anesthesia technique.
  • Its application in pediatric patients requires careful consideration of safety and efficacy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the safety and efficacy of epidural blockade in children.
  • To assess the outcomes of epidural anesthesia in a pediatric surgical population.

Main Methods:

  • A retrospective review of 38 epidural blockades in children was conducted.
  • Data analyzed included patient age, surgical procedure, epidural level, technique, anesthetic dose, and block quality.

Main Results:

  • The study included children with a mean age of 3 years.
  • All patients experienced minimal or no need for intravenous narcotics.
  • Hemodynamic stability was maintained throughout the procedures, with no intraoperative or postoperative complications.

Conclusions:

  • Epidural anesthesia in children is a safe and effective method.
  • It provides reliable intraoperative anesthesia and effective postoperative pain control.
Abstract

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