A Comparison of Three Different Volumes of Levobupivacaine for Caudal Block in Children Undergoing Orchidopexy and Inguinal Hernia Repair

Analgesic Effects of Regional Analgesic Techniques in Pediatric Inguinal Surgeries: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

BACKGROUND

Various regional analgesic techniques have been used in pediatric inguinal surgery to facilitate postoperative recovery. However, each technique's relative performance was undetermined owing to the lack of quantitative analysis.

METHODS

We systematically searched MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, and Web of Science for randomized controlled trials that compared regional analgesia in pediatric inguinal surgeries. After critical study screening and selection, a random-effects network meta-analysis was performed. The primary outcome was the time to the first rescue analgesic after surgery, and the secondary outcomes were the number of patients requiring rescue analgesics after surgery, postoperative pain scores, incidence of postoperative nausea and vomiting, and other adverse events.

RESULTS

This network meta-analysis included 69 randomized controlled trials (4636 patients) that compared 10 regional analgesic techniques. Our study revealed that the quadratus lumborum and transversus abdominis plane blocks had the longest time to the first rescue analgesic after pediatric inguinal surgeries, by 7.7 hours (95% confidence interval [CI], 5.0-10.3) and 6.0 hours (95% CI, 3.9-8.2) when compared with the control group, respectively. In the subgroup involving only inguinal hernia repair, the quadratus lumborum block significantly prolonged the time to the first rescue analgesic than all other regional analgesics. In contrast, in the subgroup involving orchidopexies, only the caudal block significantly prolonged the time to the first rescue analgesic when compared with the control group (4.1 hours; 95% CI, 0.7-7.5). Wound infiltration and landmark-based ilioinguinal-iliohypogastric block had relatively poor analgesic effects than other regional analgesics. No serious adverse effects related to the regional analgesic techniques were reported in any of the included studies.

CONCLUSIONS

The quadratus lumborum and transversus abdominis plane blocks had the longest time to the first rescue analgesic and the least rescue analgesic requirement for pediatric inguinal surgeries. Specifically, the quadratus lumborum block had the longest analgesic duration in inguinal hernia repair, and the caudal block was found to be the only regional analgesia that extended the time to the first rescue analgesic in pediatric orchidopexy. Most included randomized controlled trials had some concern or a high risk of bias, and future studies should focus on providing high-quality evidence to further clarify the analgesic effects of regional analgesia for pediatric inguinal surgeries.

Regional anesthesia to ameliorate postoperative analgesia outcomes in pediatric surgical patients: an updated systematic review of randomized controlled trials

Regional anesthesia is becoming increasingly popular among anesthesiologists in the management of postoperative analgesia following pediatric surgery. The main objective of this review was to systematically evaluate the last 5 years of randomized controlled trials on the role of regional anesthesia techniques in alleviating postoperative pain associated with various pediatric surgical procedures. Forty studies on 2,408 pediatric patients were evaluated. The majority of the articles published from 2013 to 2017 reported that the use of regional anesthesia minimized postoperative pain and reduced opioid consumption. Only a few surgical procedures (cholecystectomy, inguinal hernia repair, and non-laparoscopic major abdominal surgery) reported no significant difference in the postoperative pain relief compared with the standard anesthetic management. The growing number of randomized controlled trials in the pediatric literature is very promising; however, additional confirmation is needed to reinforce the use of specific regional anesthesia techniques to provide optimal postoperative pain relief for a few surgical procedures (reconstructive ear surgery, chest wall deformity, hypospadias, umbilical hernia, cleft palate repair) in pediatric patients. More randomized controlled trials are needed to establish regional anesthesia as an essential component of postoperative analgesia management in children.

Ultrasound-guided versus conventional injection for caudal block in children: A prospective randomized clinical study

STUDY OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to compare the efficacies of ultrasound guided sacral hiatus injection and conventional sacral canal injection performed for caudal block in children.

DESIGN

Randomized controlled clinical trial.

SETTING

Operating rooms of university hospital of Erzurum, Turkey.

PATIENTS

One hundred-thirty four children, American Society of Anesthesiologists I-II, between the ages of 5 and 12, scheduled for elective phimosis and circumcision surgery.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients assigned to two groups for ultrasound guided caudal block (Group U, n=68) or conventional caudal block (Group C, n=66). Caudal solution was prepared as 0.125% levobupivacaine plus 10mcg/kg morphine (total volume: 0.5ml/kg), and was administered to both groups.

MEASUREMENTS

The block performing time, the block success rate, the number of needle puncture, the success at first puncture and the complications were recorded.

MAIN RESULTS

The block performing time and the success rate of block were similar between Group U and Group C (109.96±49.73s vs 103.17±45.12s, and 97% vs 93%, respectively p>0.05). The first puncture success rate was higher in Group U than in Group C (80% vs 63%, respectively p=0.026). No significant difference was observed between the groups with regard to the number of needle punctures (p=0.060). The rates of vascular puncture and subcutaneus bulging were higher in Group C than in Group U (8/66 vs 1/68, and 8/66 vs 0/68, respectively p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite the limitations in central neuroaxial anesthesia we recommend the use of ultrasound since it reduces the complications and increases the success rate of first puncture in pediatric caudal injection.