Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Nov 2014
Clinical anatomy of the maxillary nerve block in pediatric patients.
Anatomical landmarks in children are mostly extrapolated from studies in adults. Despite this, complex regional anesthetic procedures are frequently performed on pediatric patients. Sophisticated imaging techniques are available but the exact position, course and/or relationships of the structures are best understood with appropriate anatomical dissections. Maxillary nerve blocks are being used for peri-operative analgesia after cleft palate repair in infants. However, the best approach for blocking the maxillary nerve in pediatric patients has yet to be established. ⋯ On the basis of these findings technique B produces the most consistent data for age groups 1 and 2 and supports the clinical findings recently reported.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Nov 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialA dose-response study of caudal dexmedetomidine with ropivacaine in pediatric day care patients undergoing lower abdominal and perineal surgeries: a randomized controlled trial.
This randomized double-blind study was conducted to evaluate the analgesic efficacy and safety of addition of three different doses of dexmedetomidine in caudal ropivacaine compared with plain ropivacaine for postoperative analgesia in pediatric day care patients. ⋯ All three doses of caudal dexmedetomidine appear to be effective for preventing postoperative pain in pediatric day care patients. Caudal dexmedetomidine used in these doses seems to be safe for day care surgery.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Nov 2014
Multicenter Study Observational StudyPain management following major intracranial surgery in pediatric patients: a prospective cohort study in three academic children's hospitals.
Pain management following major intracranial surgery is often limited by a presumed lack of need and a concern that opioids will adversely affect postoperative outcome and interfere with the neurologic examination. Nevertheless, evidence in adults is accumulating that these patients suffer moderate to severe pain, and this pain is often under-treated. The purpose of this prospective, clinical observational cohort study was to assess the incidence of pain, prescribed analgesics, methods of analgesic delivery, and patient/parent satisfaction in pediatric patients undergoing cranial surgery at three major university children's hospitals. ⋯ Despite considerable variation in modality and route of analgesic administration, there were no differences in average pain score, length of stay, or parental satisfaction with care. Pain scores were low, side effects were minimal, and parental satisfaction was high, providing equipoise for future blinded prospective randomized trials in this patient population.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Nov 2014
Randomized Controlled TrialThe addition of tramadol to the standard of IV acetaminophen and morphine infusion for postoperative analgesia in neonates offers no clinical benefit: a randomized placebo-controlled trial.
Tramadol is used following neonatal cardiac and general surgery. However, its ability to opioid-spare or facilitate earlier extubation in postoperative neonates is unquantified. ⋯ Tramadol's addition to standard analgesia in this small group of postsurgical neonates did not appear to have any positive effect on time to extubation, morphine or midazolam exposure, or pain scores. This questions the benefit of tramadol for postsurgical neonates. Importantly, no seizures occurred in these ill neonates who may potentially be at greater risk of tramadol toxicity compared with adults.