Related Experiment Video

Updated: May 1, 2026

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Success of Ultrasound-Guided Neuraxial Anesthesia in Cases with Difficult Anatomy
03:14

Author Spotlight: Enhancing Success of Ultrasound-Guided Neuraxial Anesthesia in Cases with Difficult Anatomy

Published on: January 31, 2025

2.2K

Perioperative epidural analgesia in children undergoing major abdominal tumor surgery--a single center experience

Steven W Warmann1, Stefanie Lang1, Frank Fideler2

  • 1Department of Pediatric Surgery and Pediatric Urology, Hoppe-Seyler-Str. 3, 72076 Tuebingen, Germany.

Journal of Pediatric Surgery
|April 15, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Continuous epidural analgesia in pediatric patients undergoing major abdominal tumor surgery reduced pain and opioid use. While not statistically significant, pain levels were lower post-surgery, indicating potential benefits for recovery.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Surgery
  • Pain Management
  • Anesthesiology

Background:

  • Major abdominal tumor surgery in children presents significant pain management challenges.
  • Effective postoperative pain control is crucial for optimal recovery and reducing complications.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy of continuous epidural analgesia in pediatric patients undergoing major abdominal tumor surgery.
  • To compare pain scores and clinical outcomes between patients receiving epidural analgesia and a historical control group.

Main Methods:

  • A cohort of 40 pediatric patients received continuous epidural analgesia post-surgery (2008-2012).
  • Data were compared to a pair-matched historical control group (2002-2007) without epidural analgesia.
  • Surgical trauma, pain scores, and clinical parameters were analyzed.

Main Results:

  • The epidural analgesia group showed lower pain levels on postoperative days 1 and 3, though not statistically significant.
  • Significantly fewer patients in the epidural group required additional opioid analgesics (45% vs. 82%, p<0.001).
  • Despite higher surgical trauma scores, no differences were observed in mechanical ventilation, ICU stay, or total hospital stay; no catheter complications occurred.

Conclusions:

  • Continuous epidural analgesia offers benefits in pain management and postoperative recovery for pediatric patients with abdominal tumors.
  • Careful patient selection, expert management, and continuous quality assessment are vital for successful implementation.
Abstract

Keywords:
Abdominal surgeryCatheterContinuous epidural analgesiaEpiduralPain scoresPediatric solid tumors

More Related Videos

An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain PPOP14:56

An Experimental Paradigm for the Prediction of Post-Operative Pain PPOP

Published on: January 27, 2010

22.5K

Related Concept Videos

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia01:29

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Epidural Anesthesia

Epidural anesthetics are administered in the fat-filled epidural space, the outermost part of the spinal canal. This technique is commonly employed for pain management and anesthesia during lower abdomen and pelvis surgeries or labor and delivery.
Since epidural anesthetics can be infused through an epidural catheter, all types of drugs, including short-acting ones, can be administered. Chloroprocaine and lidocaine are examples of short and long-duration anesthetics, respectively. Bupivacaine...
1.0K
Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia01:11

Local Anesthetics: Clinical Application as Spinal Anesthesia

Spinal anesthetics are given during lower abdomen and limb surgeries to block sensory and motor neurons. They are administered in the mid to low lumbar regions, primarily acting on the cauda equina's nerve roots. The blockade level depends on the local anesthetic (LA) concentration. Usually, low LA concentrations are sufficient to block sensory fibers, while only high LA concentrations block motor fibers. Other factors like injection volume and speed, the patient's posture, and the drug...
2.0K
Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview01:24

Parenteral Anesthetics: Overview

Intravenous anesthetics are drugs administered parenterally to induce anesthesia or sedation. Propofol is a widely used agent formulated as a 1% emulsion in soybean oil, glycerol, and egg phosphatide. It induces rapid anesthesia primarily due to its rapid distribution from the bloodstream to target tissues and is metabolized in the liver. However, it can cause significant pain on injection and hypertriglyceridemia. Fospropofol, a water-based prodrug of propofol, lacks these adverse effects.
1.0K
Endoscopic Procedures IV: Sigmoidoscopy and Laproscopy01:26

Endoscopic Procedures IV: Sigmoidoscopy and Laproscopy

Sigmoidoscopy and laparoscopy are distinct medical procedures that enable physicians to internally inspect different parts of the GI tract. Although they serve different purposes, each is essential for diagnosing and, in some cases, treating various medical conditions.
Sigmoidoscopy
Sigmoidoscopy is a diagnostic procedure that uses a flexible sigmoidoscope equipped with a light source and camera to examine the rectum and sigmoid colon. The procedure involves inserting the tube through the anus...
1.2K