[Intraoperative infiltration of 0.5% bupivacaine in pediatric tonsillectomy]

Twenty-eight healthy pediatric patients scheduled for bilateral tonsillectomy under general anesthesia were allocated randomly into two groups. The same anesthetic technique was used in both groups. After oral intubation, tonsils were infiltrated with either 0.5% bupivacaine (group B) or isotonic saline solution (group F). During surgery, hemodynamic stability, blood loss, and need for additional anesthesia were evaluated. After surgery, hemodynamic stability, pain, general behavior, need for analgesics, oral intake, and complications were evaluated. The bupivacaine group had significantly less bleeding in the first tonsil, less need for anesthetics, and less pain in the first eight hours after surgery. None of the other variables showed statistically significant differences. These results suggest that preoperative infiltration of the tonsils with bupivacaine was useful for reducing bleeding and intraoperative anesthesia requirements, and that it reduced pain in the immediate postoperative period.