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Safety and Efficacy of Paediatric Spinal Anaesthesia in a Tertiary Hospital in Ghana
Oluwayemisi Esther Ekor1, Akwasi Antwi-Kusi2, Wendy Miranda3
1Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Management, School of Medical Sciences, University of Cape Coast, Cape Coast, Ghana.
Insights
Paediatric spinal anaesthesia is safe and effective for infra-umbilical surgeries in children, with a 90.9% success rate and no recorded complications. This technique is underutilized but shows promise for wider adoption.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Regional Anesthesia Techniques
Background:
- Pediatric spinal anesthesia offers advantages for infra-umbilical surgeries but is underutilized compared to general anesthesia.
- This study investigates the efficacy and safety of spinal anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoing infra-umbilical procedures.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the efficacy of pediatric spinal anesthesia for infra-umbilical surgeries.
- To assess the complication rate associated with spinal anesthesia in pediatric patients.
Main Methods:
- A prospective analytical study involved 33 children under 16 years undergoing elective infra-umbilical surgery.
- Descriptive statistical analysis was used for categorical data and to assess vital signs (heart rate, respiratory rate, SpO2, blood pressure).
Main Results:
- The majority of participants (69.7%) were aged 0-5 years; herniotomy was the most common surgery (39.4%).
- Spinal anesthesia demonstrated rapid onset (<3 min in 84.8%), achieved desired block levels (T8/T10 in 87.9%), and required conversion to general anesthesia in only 9.1% of cases.
- No complications were recorded during the study period, with an average procedure duration of 25 minutes.
Conclusions:
- Pediatric spinal anesthesia proved safe and successful in 90.9% of cases for infra-umbilical surgeries.
- Spinal anesthesia is a viable and effective option for pediatric infra-umbilical surgeries, warranting further investigation for broader clinical adoption.
Background:
Paediatric spinal anaesthesia has some advantages in children, especially for infra-umbilical surgeries. It is, however, an underutilised technique when compared with General anaesthesia (GA). This study sets to determine the efficacy and complications of spinal anaesthesia in infra-umbilical surgeries among paediatrics.
Materials And Methods:
A prospective analytic study was conducted among thirty-three children <16 years, scheduled for elective infra-umbilical surgeries. Data generated was analysed descriptively in proportions for categorical data and mean with standard deviation to assess heart rate, respiratory rate, SPO2, and blood pressure between the times that the vital signs were recorded.
Results:
The majority of participants (69.7%) were between 0 and 5 years. The surgeries performed were mostly herniotomy (39.4%). The onset of the block was <3 min in 84.8% of patients. The level of block achieved was mostly T8 (45.5%) and T10 (42.4%). There was no need for conversion to GA in 90.9% of patients and the average duration of the procedure was 25 min. There were no complications recorded.
Conclusion:
The use of spinal anaesthesia in paediatrics that underwent infra-umbilical surgeries was safe and successful in 90.9% of patients. Therefore, spinal anaesthesia can be explored in larger samples of paediatric patients for its full adoption in paediatric surgeries.
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