Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jan 2012
ReviewUltrasound-guided upper extremity blocks - tips and tricks to improve the clinical practice.
Brachial plexus blockade in children can be used for a broad spectrum of clinical indications. Nevertheless, these regional anesthetic techniques are still underused in pediatric anesthesia that is mainly because of insufficient descriptions of the particular techniques. ⋯ The most important issue in this context is theoretical background knowledge and intensive training of hand skills. The following review article discusses all relevant aspects of ultrasound-guided brachial plexus blockade.
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Abdominal wall blocks are an effective regional anesthetic technique to provide sufficient analgesia in abdominal surgery. This article reviews the use of abdominal wall blocks in pediatric regional anesthesia.
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The pediatric epidural is an accepted method of advanced analgesia in children. Newer techniques have now superseded pediatric epidural analgesia (PEA), being as effective and safer, especially with the advances in ultrasonography. PEA is, however, still an important technique to master and employ, and it may be that the indications for this mode of analgesia have now become more defined.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jan 2012
Review Historical ArticleHistory of pediatric regional anesthesia.
The history of local and regional anesthesia began with the discovery of the local anesthetic properties of cocaine in 1884. Shortly afterwards nerve blocks were being attempted for surgical anesthesia. Bier introduced spinal anesthesia in 1898, two of his first six patients being children. ⋯ Spinals and other local techniques had periods of greater and lesser use and have not been universally employed. Initial loss of popularity seemed to relate to improvements in general anaesthesia. The advent of lignocaine (1943) and longer acting bupivacaine (1963) and increasing concern about postoperative analgesia in the 1970-1980s, contributed to the increased use of blocks.