Journal of pediatric surgery
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Epidural vs patient-controlled analgesia for postoperative pain after pectus excavatum repair: a prospective, randomized trial.
Management of postoperative pain is a challenge after the minimally invasive repair of pectus excavatum. Pain is usually managed by either a thoracic epidural or patient-controlled analgesia with intravenous narcotics. We conducted a prospective, randomized trial to evaluate the relative merits of these 2 pain management strategies. ⋯ There is longer operating room time, increase in calls to anesthesia, and greater hospital charges with epidural analgesia after repair of pectus excavatum. Pain scores favor the epidural approach early in the postoperative course and patient-controlled analgesia later.