Flare reaction following caudal analgesia

The following case reports describe obvious and marked vascular changes over the S3 dermatome in two children following the administration of bupivacaine 0.125 per cent via the caudal route. These flare reactions were typical of an axon reflex. Vasodilatation in these two case reports could have been mediated by direct stimulation of the S3 routes by the local anaesthetic solution.