Effects of esketamine combined with ultrasound-guided nerve block on cognitive function in children with lower

Jian Wang1, Meiting Pu2

  • 1Department of Anesthesiology, The First Affiliated Hospital of Hainan Medical College Haikou 570102, Hainan Province, China.

Insights

Esketamine combined with ultrasound-guided nerve block offers a safer anesthetic option for pediatric lower extremity fractures, significantly reducing complications compared to general anesthesia. This approach demonstrates superior outcomes for children undergoing fracture repair.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Pediatric Orthopedics
  • Regional Anesthesia

Background:

  • Pediatric lower extremity fractures require effective pain management and anesthesia.
  • General anesthesia can be associated with significant physiological stress and complications in children.
  • Ultrasound-guided nerve blocks offer targeted anesthesia but may require adjuncts for optimal outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of esketamine combined with ultrasound-guided nerve block for pediatric lower extremity fractures.
  • To compare this combined approach with ultrasound-guided nerve block plus general anesthesia.
  • To assess the impact on physiological parameters and complication rates.

Main Methods:

  • A comparative study involving 120 children with lower extremity fractures.
  • Observation group (OG): Esketamine + ultrasound-guided nerve block.
  • Control group (CG): Ultrasound-guided nerve block + general anesthesia.
  • Monitoring of hemodynamic and respiratory parameters, serum stress hormones, and complication incidence.
  • Evaluation of cognitive function using the mini-mental state examination (MMES) scale.

Main Results:

  • The esketamine combination group (OG) exhibited lower mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) at 10 and 20 minutes post-anesthesia compared to the general anesthesia group (CG).
  • Post-surgery, serum norepinephrine (NE), epinephrine (E), and renin (R) levels were significantly lower in the OG than in the CG.
  • The OG demonstrated a significantly lower complication rate (8.33%) compared to the CG (20.00%).

Conclusions:

  • Esketamine combined with ultrasound-guided nerve block provides superior anesthetic effects and a significantly lower complication rate in children with lower extremity fractures.
  • This combination represents a safer and more effective anesthetic strategy for pediatric orthopedic surgery.
  • The findings support the use of esketamine-based regional anesthesia to mitigate physiological stress in pediatric patients.
Abstract

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