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Indications and application of epidural anesthesia in a pediatric population outside the perioperative period
1Department of Anesthesiology and Pediatrics, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee.
Insights
Epidural anesthesia offers effective pain relief for children when other methods fail. This technique provides analgesia for severe pain from burns, sickle cell crisis, trauma, and cancer.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Anesthesiology
- Pain Management
- Regional Anesthesia Techniques
Background:
- Spinal and epidural anesthesia are established anesthetic techniques used for a century.
- Their application in pediatric patients outside the perioperative setting remains limited.
- Parenteral narcotics are standard for managing severe pediatric pain but can be insufficient.
Abstract:
The techniques of spinal and epidural anesthesia have been key components of anesthetic care for the past 100 years. Although commonly used in the operating room, their use in children outside the perioperative period has been limited. The author presents his experience with the use of epidural anesthesia to provide analgesia in five children when parenteral narcotics were ineffective in treating pain associated with burns, sickle cell crisis, trauma, and malignancies. Additionally, the principles and adverse effects of epidural anesthesia are discussed.