Feasibility and Clinical Utility of the Finnish Version of the FLACC Pain Scale in PICU

Efficacy analysis of enhanced recovery after surgery in laparoscopic-assisted radical resection of type I choledochal cyst

Objective

The objective of this study was to investigate the feasibility and effectiveness of laparoscopic-assisted radical resection of type I choledochal cyst (CC) guided by the principles of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS).

Methods

A retrospective cohort study of type I CC admitted to our hospital between May 2020 and December 2021 were analyzed, a total of 41 patients with choledochal cyst underwent surgery during this period and 30 cases were selected based on inclusion and exclusion criteria. Patients (n = 15) who received the traditional treatment from May 2020 to March 2021 were included in the traditional group. Patients (n = 15) who received ERAS from April 2021 to December 2021 were included in the ERAS group. Both groups underwent surgery performed by the same surgical team. Preoperative data of the two groups were recorded, and relevant data were statistically analyzed and compared.

Results

There was a statistically significant difference in the dose of opioids. Significant differences were observed between the ERAS and traditional groups in the results of the FLACC pain assessment scale on the 1st and 2nd day after surgery, time of gastric tube, urinary catheter and abdominal drainage tube removal, time of first defecation after operation, time of first eating after operation, time to reach full food intake, results of CRP, ALB, and ALT on the 3rd and 7th postoperative day, postoperative hospital stay, and total treatment cost. No significant differences were observed between the two groups in terms of gender, age, body weight, cyst size, preoperative CRP, ALB, ALT, intraoperative blood loss, operation time, and the number of cases converted to laparotomy. Neither the FLACC pain assessment scale on the 3rd day after surgery, the incidence of postoperative complications, nor the rate of readmission within 30 days showed significant differences.

Conclusions

Laparoscopic-assisted radical resection of type I CC guided by the principles of ERAS is safe and effective for children. The ERAS concept demonstrated advantages over traditional laparoscopic surgery, including reduced opioid use, shorter time to first postoperative defecation, earlier resumption of postoperative feeding, shorter time to reach full feeding, shorter postoperative hospital stay, and lower total treatment cost.

Discriminant properties of the Behavioral Pain Scale for assessment of procedural pain-related distress in ventilated children

OBJECTIVES

Children hospitalized in a pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) are frequently exposed to distressing and painful medical procedures and interventions. There is a lack of clinical scales to measure procedural pain-related distress in ventilated children. The Behavioral Pain Scale (BPS) was initially developed to detect procedural pain in critically ill adults. This study aims to assess the BPS's discriminant properties for measuring procedural pain-related distress in ventilated pediatric patients incorporating two instruments validated for pediatric patients.

METHODS

This prospective exploratory study was performed with ventilated children admitted to the interdisciplinary 14-bed PICU of the University Children's Hospital, University Medical Center Hamburg-Eppendorf, Germany. The nurse in charge and an independent observer simultaneously assessed the patients using German versions of the BPS, the COMFORT-B scale (CBS), and the modified Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (mFLACC) scale immediately before and during endotracheal suctioning.

RESULTS

We analyzed 170 parallel assessments in n=34 ventilated children. Patients were (mean ± SD) 9.5 ± 4.8 years old. Internal consistency for the BPS was excellent (α=0.93). We found a high rater agreement for all clinical scales (BPS: k=0.73, CBS: k=0.80, mFLACC: k=0.71). Strong correlations were identified between BPS and CBS (r=0.89) and BPS and mFLACC (r=0.79). The BPS cutoff values showed likewise excellent results (area under the curve CBS >16: 0.97; mFLACC >2: 0.91).

CONCLUSIONS

In our population of ventilated children, the BPS was well suited to detect procedural pain-related distress compared with two validated pain scales. Further extensive validation studies should follow to support our findings.

Comparison of Analgesic Efficacy of Local Anesthetic Infiltration and Ultrasound-guided Abdominal Wall Nerve Block in Children Undergoing Ambulatory Inguinal Hernia Repair

PURPOSE

Placement of local anesthetics either as infiltration (LAI) or as abdominal wall nerve block (AWNB) has been shown to reduce postoperative pain following laparoscopic surgery. We aimed to compare intraoperative remifentanil consumption and postoperative pain of AWNB and LAI in children undergoing ambulatory two-port laparoscopic inguinal hernia surgery with propofol-remifentanil based general anesthesia.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled trial.

METHODS

Children aged between 1 and 6 years undergoing two-port laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair were enrolled for analysis. These children received one of the three anesthesia regimens (1) standard general anesthesia (SGA); (2) SGA with preemptive LAI; (3) SGA with preemptive AWNB; and were categorized accordingly. Primary outcome variable were intraoperative average infusion rate of remifentanil and postoperative FLACC (Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, and Consolability) pain score. Secondary outcome data included demographics, intraoperative variables (hemodynamics and bispectral index score recorded at three different time points), and duration of surgery.

FINDINGS

A total of 90 children (30 in each group) were included in the analysis. General information, intraoperative hemodynamic variables, bispectral index score, and duration of surgery were not significantly different among groups. The intragroup variation of hemodynamic variables were less stable in the SGA group compared with the other two groups, while BIS score was similar among groups. The intraoperative infusion rate of remifentanil was significantly lower in the AWNB group than in the SGA or the LAI group (median [25th to 75th centiles]: 0.11[0.11 to 0.11] µg/kg/min, 0.33[0.33 to 0.33] µg/kg/min; 0.17[0.17 to 0.20] µg/kg/min, respectively, P < .001 for both), and lower in the LAI group than in the SGA group (P < .001). The postoperative FLACC pain score was significantly lower in the AWNB group than in the SGA or the LAI group (P < .001 for both).

CONCLUSIONS

AWNB is associated with a lower intraoperative remifentanil requirement and a lower postoperative FLACC pain score compared with LAI in children undergoing laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair with propofol-remifentanil based general anesthesia.

Validation of the Indonesian Version of the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) Scale in Postoperative Cleft Lip and/or Cleft Palate Patients

Background:

The face, leg, activity, cry, and consolability (FLACC) scale is a validated pain measurement instrument that is used on postoperative patients with limited verbal ability, including postoperative cleft lip and/or cleft palate patients.

Objective:

This research aimed to test the validity and reliability of the Indonesian version of the FLACC scale as a measuring instrument for pain intensity experienced by postoperative cleft lip and/or cleft palate patients.

Methods:

The procedure was initiated by a back-translation process of the FLACC. Once the back-translation process is completed, a calibration process of the field researchers was conducted. Twenty-eight participants that went through a cleft lip and/or cleft palate surgery at the Unpad Dental Hospital were then enrolled. Two calibrated field researchers measured the postoperative pain intensity in three different time points, shortly after the patients regained full consciousness (T0), four hours (T1), and eight hours after the first measurement (T2). The collected data were analysed by SPSS version 23. The Spearman correlation analysis was performed to test the validity, while a Cronbach’s alpha value was calculated to test the reliability.

Results:

Based on the results of the Spearman correlation analysis, the Indonesian version of the FLACC scale was considered to be valid as the r values of each sub-scale were all higher than the r table value (r value > 0.317). Reliability was marked by the obtained Cronbach’s alpha value of 0,875.

Conclusion:

The Indonesian version of the FLACC scale was considered to be valid and reliable to be used as a pain measurement tool in postoperative cleft lip and/or cleft palate patients.