The effect of continuous wound infusion of ropivacaine on postoperative pain after median sternotomy and mediastinal drain in children.

BACKGROUND: Postoperative pain after median sternotomy is usually treated with i.v. opioids. We hypothesized that continuous wound infusion of ropivacaine decreases postoperative morphine consumption and improves analgesia in children who undergo cardiac surgery. METHODS: This randomized, double-blind study comprised 49 children aged 1-9 years who underwent atrial septal defect (ASD) closure. Patients received continuous local anesthetic wound infiltration either with 0.2% ropivacaine, 0.3-0.4 mg·kg(-1) ·h(-1) (Group R) or with saline (Group C). Rescue morphine consumption, Objective Pain Scale (OPS), time to mobilization, time to enteral food intake, and time to discharge were recorded. RESULTS: There were no statistically significant differences in morphine consumption at 24, 48, and 72 h postsurgery between R and C groups. There was a weak evidence for a difference in the time to the first morphine administration after tracheal extubation to be longer for Group R than Group C (186.2 vs 81.0 min; 95% CI (-236.5, 26.2), P = 0.114). The incidence of nausea and vomiting were comparable between the groups. No signs or symptoms of local anesthetic toxicity were registered. CONCLUSIONS: Contrary to our hypothesis, continuous ropivacaine wound infusion did not reduce morphine consumption, pain score values, or nausea and vomiting in children who underwent ASD closure with median sternotomy and mediastinal drain.

Effect of timing and route of methylprednisolone administration during pediatric cardiac surgical procedures.

BACKGROUND: We compared the antiinflammatory and cardioprotective effects of the two most common regimens of corticosteroid administration in pediatric cardiac surgical procedures: a single dose delivered either at anesthesia induction or by cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) prime. METHODS: Forty-five children, aged between 1 and 18 months and undergoing ventricular septal or atrioventricular septal defect correction, were randomized in double-blind fashion into three groups. The anesthesia induction group received 30 mg/kg methylprednisolone intravenously after anesthesia induction, and the CPB-prime group received 30 mg/kg methylprednisolone by CPB circuit. The placebo group received saline solution. Plasma concentrations of methylprednisolone, interleukin (IL)-6, IL-8 and IL-10, and troponin were measured at anesthesia induction before the study drug, 30 minutes on CPB, after patients were weaned from CPB, and 6 hours after cessation of CPB. RESULTS: Equally high methylprednisolone concentrations were detected in both methylprednisolone groups, but the measured peak concentration occurred earlier in the induction group. Significantly lower IL-8 concentrations were observed just after patients were weaned from and 6 hours after CPB in the anesthesia induction group compared with the placebo (p = 0.002, p = 0.001) and prime groups (p = 0.003, p = 0.006). Significant reductions of troponin were detected in both methylprednisolone groups compared with placebo (induction, p = 0.001; prime, p = 0.002) 6 hours after patients were weaned from CPB. CONCLUSIONS: Methylprednisolone administration at anesthesia induction was superior in terms of antiinflammatory action. Methylprednisolone administration in CPB-prime only a few minutes before aortic cross-clamping and cardioplegia resulted in mean troponin reductions similar to those of administration at anesthesia induction. Corticosteroids may have direct cardioprotective properties, as reported in experimental studies.

Initial experience of enoxaparine as anticoagulant during mechanical circulatory support in children.

Unfractioned heparin-infusion is traditionally used for anticoagulation during mechanical circulatory support. We evaluated initial experience of subcutaneous enoxaparine during mechanical circulatory support in children. Nine consecutive children treated with Berlin Heart mechanical support were enrolled in this retrospective analysis. Of these, 3/9 were anticoagulated with enoxaparine, 6/9 anticoagulated with unfractioned heparin served as historical controls. Unfractioned heparin-group was divided in two (early/late) according to patients chronological order. All enoxaparine-treated children survived and had no significant bleeding or thromboembolic disorders. Four of the 6 children anticoagulated with unfractioned heparin died. The mean daily substitution of platelets, red blood cells, fresh frozen plasma and anti-thrombin III-concentrate was lower in the enoxaparine group compared to both early and late unfractioned heparin-groups. Enoxaparine as anticoagulant for mechanical circulatory support in children seems promising with significantly less bleeding disorders and blood product consumption.