Analgesia for circumcision in a paediatric population: comparison of caudal bupivacaine alone with bupivacaine plus two doses of clonidine.

BACKGROUND: Clonidine is often used to improve the duration and quality of analgesia produced by caudal epidural blockade, although the optimum dose of clonidine with bupivacaine remains uncertain. METHODS: We compared the effect of clonidine, 1 and 2 microg x kg(-1), added to bupivacaine (1.25 mg x kg(-1)) with that of bupivacaine alone in 75 male children undergoing elective circumcision. RESULTS: There was a trend towards increasing duration of analgesia with increasing dose of clonidine [group B (bupivacaine) 280.7 (171.6) min, C1 (bupivacaine + clonidine 1 microg x kg(-1)) 327.8 (188.3) min and C2 (bupivacaine + clonidine 2 microg x kg(-1)) 382.0 (200.6) min], although this difference was not statistically significant. Mean time to arousal from anaesthesia was significantly prolonged with clonidine 2 microg kg(-1) (group C2 21.3 (13-36) min, group C1 14.0 (6-25) min and group B 14.4 (2-32) min. Supplementary analgesic requirements and incidence of adverse effects were low, with no differences between the groups. CONCLUSIONS: For paediatric circumcision, under general anaesthesia, the addition of clonidine 2 microg x kg(-1) to low volume (0.5 ml x kg(-1)) caudal anaesthetics has a limited clinical benefit for children undergoing circumcision.

The effect of ketorolac as an adjuvant to local anaesthetic infiltration for analgesia in paediatric umbilical hernia surgery.

After umbilical hernia surgery, and wound infiltration with bupivacaine 0.5%, 17 children were given ketorolac 0.5 mg.kg-1, with 18 controls receiving only the wound infiltration. No child experienced severe pain, but moderate pain was noted in patients in both groups. Objective and subjective pain scores were not different statistically at any point up to the morning after surgery.

Serum bupivacaine concentrations following wound infiltration in children undergoing inguinal herniotomy.

Serum bupivacaine concentrations were measured in 12 children who underwent elective herniotomy and who received analgesia in the form of wound infiltration. Mean (SD) peak concentration was 0.36 (0.14) micrograms/ml and time to peak concentration was 14.6 (7.2) minutes after infiltration of 1.25 mg/kg of bupivacaine. These concentrations are lower than those associated with other local anaesthetic blocks and well below potentially toxic levels. Wound infiltration provides a simple, effective and safe method of providing postoperative analgesia for hernia repair in children.

Paediatric postoperative analgesia. A comparison of rectal diclofenac with caudal bupivacaine after inguinal herniotomy.

Forty-three children for day case inguinal herniotomy under general anaesthesia were assigned randomly to receive either 1 ml/kg caudal bupivacaine 0.25% or rectal diclofenac 0.25 mg/kg intra-operatively to provide postoperative analgesia. Pain and demeanour were assessed by an observer in the early postoperative period after operation and by questionnaire for the parents over the first 24 hours. Caudal bupivacaine provided more pain-free patients at first but later the incidence of pain was similar in the two treatment groups. Rectal diclofenac is a useful alternative to caudal blockade in this group of patients.

'Fruit-flavoured' mask for isoflurane induction in children.

The effect of disguising the odour of isoflurane with fruit flavouring, upon the quality of inhalational induction, was studied in 41 children aged 3-10 years in a double-blind, randomised trial. Facemasks were either lightly coated with fruit extract or moistened with water so that their appearance was identical to children, anaesthetist and observer. Children allocated to receive fruit flavouring were significantly quieter than the placebo group, but their degree of movement during induction was unchanged. The incidence of respiratory complications including breath-holding, laryngospasm and coughing was similar in both groups. Overall impression of the quality of induction as assessed by the anaesthetist showed no difference between the groups. This simple, cheap modification of inhalational induction warrants further appraisal while the case for disguising the odour of isoflurane remains unproven.

Paediatric postoperative analgesia. A comparison between caudal block and wound infiltration of local anaesthetic.

Fifty children who underwent day case herniotomy received either a caudal injection of 1 ml/kg bupivacaine 0.25% or infiltration of the wound edges at the end of surgery with 0.5 ml/kg bupivacaine 0.25%, allocated at random. Postoperative pain and demeanour were assessed initially by an observer and later by use of a parental questionnaire. Wound infiltration of local anaesthetic solution provided analgesia which was comparable to that associated with caudal block, and the incidence of side effects was similar in the two groups. Wound infiltration of local anaesthetic offers a simple, safe alternative to caudal block for provision of postoperative analgesia in this group of patients.

A comparison of nalbuphine with morphine for post-orchidopexy pain.

A double-blind investigation was conducted to compare nalbuphine with morphine for the control of pain after unilateral orchidopexy. Fifty boys under 11 years of age were allocated randomly to receive intramuscular nalbuphine 0.2 mgkg-1 or morphine 0.2 mgkg-1 immediately after induction of anaesthesia. Pain was assessed on a three-point scale, 1, 2 and 4 h after injection and on the morning following operation. Side-effects were also recorded. There were no significant differences between the two drugs in either the provision of analgesia, or the incidence of the principal side-effects of vomiting and sweating. There was a high incidence of vomiting in both groups. Nalbuphine is a satisfactory alternative to morphine for post-orchidopexy pain and may offer the advantages of greater safety and convenience.

Perioperative care: emergency anaesthesia.

An attempt has been made to indicate some of the problems that may be encountered in emergency anaesthesia. Every case is unique, so it is important to assess each one on its merits and choose appropiate techniques. Experience, adaptability, and vigilance are the keys to patient safety.