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Updated: Jan 16, 2026

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Ultrasound-Guided Regional Analgesia in the Pediatric Emergency Department

Ashkon Shaahinfar1,2, Nicole Klekowski3, Mukuka Kangwa4

  • 1Associate Clinical Professor, Departments of Emergency Medicine and Pediatrics, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA.

Pediatric Emergency Care
|October 1, 2025
PubMed

Insights

Ultrasound-guided regional analgesia (UGRA) offers safe and effective pain relief for children in the emergency department (ED), reducing opioid use. Implementing UGRA requires training, collaboration, and optimized workflows for successful pediatric adoption.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Emergency Medicine
  • Pain Management
  • Regional Anesthesia

Background:

  • Ultrasound-guided regional analgesia (UGRA) is underutilized in pediatric emergency departments (EDs) despite proven safety and efficacy.
  • UGRA offers an effective alternative to opioids for managing acute pain in children.
  • Successful integration necessitates addressing training, collaboration, and workflow challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the evidence supporting pediatric UGRA in the ED.
  • To highlight critical considerations for emergency providers using UGRA in children.
  • To outline practical strategies for implementing pediatric UGRA programs.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of existing studies on pediatric UGRA.
  • Analysis of safety and efficacy data for UGRA in pediatric populations.
  • Synthesis of implementation strategies and educational approaches.

Main Results:

  • UGRA provides effective analgesia for pediatric patients with painful conditions.
  • Reduced reliance on opioids is a key benefit of UGRA in the ED setting.
  • Structured training and multidisciplinary collaboration are crucial for successful UGRA programs.

Conclusions:

  • Pediatric UGRA is a safe and effective component of multimodal pain management in the ED.
  • Implementation requires tailored educational resources and system-based approaches.
  • Wider adoption of UGRA can improve pediatric pain care in emergency settings.

Keywords:
nerve blockspediatric traumapoint-of-care ultrasoundregional analgesia

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