Analgesic effect of local bupivacaine infiltration in pediatric tonsillectomy

ABSTRACT

Forty children scheduled for elective tonsillectomy under general anaesthesia were divided randomly into two adjustable groups in a blind study, to receive peritonsillar infiltration with either 0.25% plain bupivacaine or 0.9% saline, in a dose of 0.4 ml/kg to a maximum of 10 ml ie 5 ml around each tonsil, following induction of anaesthesia. Patients were assessed on awakening and then after 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 4 hours and 24 hours using pain scores of 1-5. Pain scores on awakening and after 10 minutes, 30 minutes and one hour were significantly lower in the bupivacaine group, but there was no difference between the two groups after 1 hour. In conclusion, peritonsillar infiltration with bupivacaine is a very useful analgesic for children having tonsillectomy for up to 1 hour postoperatively