Comparison of Analgesic Efficacy of Nalbuphine Versus Tramadol as Adjuvant to Local Anaesthetic in Caudal Block in Children

Objective: To compare the mean time of first analgesia with nalbuphine versus tramadol as adjuvant to bupivacaine for caudal block in children. Patients and Methods: In this randomized clinical trial, a total number of 60 children who were planned for caudal block after infra-abdominal surgeries having age 3-12 years were included. A caudal block was performed under general anaesthesia immediately after surgery for postoperative analgesia. Tramadol 2mg/kg body weight was given caudally to individuals in group A. Group B patients had 0.125 percent bupivacaine with 0.1mg/kg nalbuphine caudally. Time of requirement of first analgesia was noted in all patients. Paracetamol 10 mg/kg was given as rescue analgesic in all patients. Results: Mean age of patients was 8.30±3.03 years. Mean weight of patients was 23.33±6.92 Kg. There were 26 (43.33%) female patients and 34 (56.67%) male patients. There were 50 (83.33%) children who were having ASA status I, and remaining 10 (16.67%) children were having ASA status II. Mean pain score was 3.53±1.43 in tramadol group and 1.86±1.25 in Nalbuphine group (p-value <0.001. Mean time of first rescue analgesia was significantly prolonged in Nalbuphine group, mean time was 6.13±1.07 hours in Nalbuphine group versus 4.03±1.03 hours in tramadol group (p-value <0.001). Conclusion: Single dose of nalbuphine as an adjunct to bupivacaine is superior as compared to tramadol in reducing the post-operative pain, it also significantly prolongs the duration of analgesia in children. Keywords: Caudal Block, Nalbuphine, Tramadol, Post-operative pain, Time of first rescue analgesia.

Intravenous Dexamethasone as an Adjuvant to Caudal Analgesia for Post Herniotomy Pain

Objective: To compare the outcomes of caudal block with or without intravenous dexamethasone in controlling post-herniotomy pain in pediatric population Patients and Methods: A total of 90 patients who underwent inguinal herniotomy were included in this prospective comparative study. The study was conducted in a tertiary care setup in Qatar from Jan-2020 to May-2021. Patients were randomly allocated to two groups. Group A (dexamethasone) patients received dexamethasone intravenous 0.25 mg/kg in 5 ml of distilled water, 10 minutes before surgery. Group B (control) received 5 ml of normal saline, 10 minutes before surgery. The patients were followed for up to 240 minutes after surgery to determine adequate pain relief. Results: Mean age of the children included in this study was 7.11±1.95 years. There were 46 (51.1%) female children and 44 (48.9%) male children. Adequate post-operative pain relief was achieved in 30 (33.33%) patients, while rescue analgesia was needed in remaining 60 (66.67%) patients. Adequate pain relief was achieved in 24 (53.3%) children in dexamethasone group and in only 06 (13.3%) children in control group (p-value 0.001). Conclusion: In children undergoing herniotomy, Intravenous 0.25 mg/Kg of dexamethasone when used as an adjunct to bupivacaine for caudal block significantly reduces post-operative pain. Keywords: Caudal Block, intravenous dexamethasone, Post-operative pain Relief.

Comparative Study Between Caudal Block And Local Wound Infiltration In Inguinal Hernia Repair In Pediatric Patients

Background Postoperative analgesia can be provided by a multimodal approach includes opioids, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, paracetamol infusion and regional anesthetic techniques such as local infiltration or nerve blocks. In contrast to opioids, local anesthetics can be administered safely and in recent guidelines regional anesthesia is accepted as the cornerstone of postoperative pain relief in the pediatric patients. Objective Compare the postoperative analgesic effectiveness of local wound infiltration of bupivacaine against bupivacaine administered caudally in pediatric patients undergoing unilateral inguinal hernia repair. Patients and methods This study was carried out in Ain Shams University hospitals on 40 pediatric patients of both sexes aged from 6 months to 7 years belonging to ASA I or II undergoing elective unilateral inguinal hernia repair. They were randomly allocated into two groups: group C receiving caudal block, group L receiving local wound infiltration. Hemodynamic changes, postoperative pain score using FLACC pain score, postoperative analgesia and complications were recorded. Results There was no significant difference between the two groups as regard demographic data or hemodynamic variables. Pain score shows no statically significant differences between two groups in the first hour. But statistically significant decrease in FLACC score after (1, 2 and 3 hours) in group C in comparison with group L.decreased significantly in group C after 1 hour postoperative. Duration of analgesia longer in group C with no significant difference in total amount of postoperative analgesia. There was significant increase in incidence in complications in group C than group L Conclusion Caudal block provides better and longer analgesia but requires experience and may lead to complications. In contrast, wound infiltration is simple without significant side effects. Therefore, local wound infiltration may be a preferred technique for producing postoperative analgesia in pediatric inguinal hernia repair.

Comparison of Analgesic Efficacy between Bupivacaine with Dexamethasone and Bupivacaine Alone in Caudal Block for Pediatric Patients Undergoing Open Inguinal Hernia Repair

Background Open inguinal hernial repair surgeries are one of the most frequently performed surgical procedures in the pediatric population. Using optimal analgesic regimen provide safe and effective analgesia, reduce postoperative stress response and accelerate recovery from surgery. Regional anesthetic techniques are commonly used to facilitate pain control in pediatric surgical procedures. The most used techniques in pediatrics is caudal block. Objective To evaluate the analgesic effect of dexamethasone when given caudally as an adjuvant to caudal block vs bupivacaine alone in caudal block for children undergoing open inguinal hernial repair surgeries. Methods The study is a prospective double – blinded randomized controlled trial conducted on 50 randomly chosen patients in Ain Shams University Hospitals after approval of the medical ethical committee. Patients were divided randomly into two groups; each group consisted of 25 patients. After preoperative assessment and obtaining baseline vital data, all patients received general anesthesia. Group BD who would receive caudal dexamethasone added to Bupivacaine and Group B who would receive caudal block with Bupivacaine. Results Dexamethasone addition shows statistically significance difference between two groups according to FLACC scale at 4h, 8h and 12h. The duration of adequate analgesia (FLACC pain score 4 or less) was significantly higher in group BD compared to group B. Conclusion Dexamethasone 0.1 mg/kg, when used as an adjuvant to caudal anesthesia, can significantly prolong the duration of postoperative analgesia. It is better than bupivacaine alone in caudal block at similar doses in controlling postoperative pain.

Comparison of Haloperidol versus Midazolam for Prevention of Sevoflurane Emergence Agitation in Pediatric patients undergoing Inguinal Surgeries

Background Emergence agitation (EA) in children early after sevoflurane anaesthesia is a common postoperative problem, with incidence ranging up to 80%, It is characterized by behavior that can include crying, disorientation, excitation and delirium, several drugs have been tried in this regard including but not limited to propofol, midazolam, ketamine and ketorolac among other drugs. Aim of the Work To compare the effect of intravenous Midazolam vs intravenous Haloperidol & in prevention of Sevoflurane Emergence Agitation in pediatric patients undergoing Inguinal Surgeries. Patients and Methods This prospective randomized study was done after approval of institutional ethics committee in Ain Shams university Hospitals for 6 months and obtaining an informed written consent from parents. It was designed to include sixty-two pediatric patients, aged 3 to 12 years of both genders, with physical status ASA Ι and ASA ІІ. All surgical procedures were elective of an expected duration of 30 - 60 minutes e.g. inguinal hernia repair, hydrocele, orcheopexy under general anesthesia and caudal block to relief pain. All operations were performed in supine position. Results Our study was applied on age group between 3- 12 years old Haloperidol was associated with 24% EA and was also associated with significant delay in eye opening and time till discharge from PACU when compared to Midazolam. Conclusion I.V Midazolam is more efficient than I.V Haloperidol for prevention of Sevoflurane Emergence agitation in pediatric patients undergoing inguinal surgeries.

A Randomized Controlled Study of Caudal Dexmedetomidine for the Prevention of Postoperative Agitation in Children Undergoing Urethroplasty

Background: Postoperative agitation is a common complication in children undergoing general anesthesia. This study aimed to investigate the effect of caudal dexmedetomidine for the prevention of postoperative agitation in children undergoing urethroplasty.Materials and Methods: Eighty children were prospectively recruited to this study and randomized to two groups (40 cases in each group), specifically, a dexmedetomidine group (group D) who received 0.2% ropivacaine + 0.5 μg/kg dexmedetomidine for caudal block, and a control group who received 0.2% ropivacaine alone. The time to wake up, the time to discharge from the postanesthesia care unit (PACU), the duration of the caudal block, and the Ramsay sedation scale (RSS) were evaluated in the patients. Adverse events such as postoperative agitation, respiratory depression, bradycardia, hypotension, excessive sedation, nausea, and vomiting were also recorded during the first postoperative 24 h.Results: The incidence of postoperative agitation was lower in group D compared with patients in the control group (2.5 vs. 22.5%, p = 0.007). The time to wake up and the time to discharge from PACU were longer in group D than in the control group (15.2 ± 2.6 vs. 13.4 ± 1.3 min, 48.2 ± 7.7 vs. 41.5 ± 8.0 min, respectively, p &lt; 0.001). However, the extubation times were similar between the two groups. The duration of the caudal block was longer in group D compared with the control group (8.8 ± 1.6 vs. 4.6 ± 0.7 h, p &lt; 0.001).Conclusions: Caudal dexmedetomidine prolongs the duration of caudal block and decreases the incidence of postoperative agitation in children undergoing urethroplasty.Clinical Trial Registration: ChiCTR1800016828.

General versus general anaesthesia combined with caudal block in laparoscopic-assisted Soave pull-through of Hirschsprung disease: a retrospective study

Background Caudal block is one of the most preferred regional anesthesia for sub-umbilical region surgeries in the pediatric population. However, few studies are available on caudal block performed in laparoscopic-assisted Soave pull-through of Hirschsprung disease (HD). We aimed to compare general anesthesia (GA) and general anesthesia combined with caudal block (GA + CA) in laparoscopic-assisted Soave pull-through of HD. Methods A retrospective review was performed in children with HD operated in our hospital between 2017 and 2020. Patients were divided into the GA and GA + CA group. The primary outcome was the duration of operation, and secondary outcomes included intraoperative hemodynamic changes, the Face, Legs, Activity, Cry, Consolability (FLACC) scale, dose of anesthetics, and incidence of side effects. Results A total of 47 children with HD were included in the study, including 20 in the GA group and 27 in the GA + CA Group. The two groups were similar in age, gender, weight and type of HD (P > 0.05). The GA + CA group had significantly shorter duration of operation (especially the transanal operation time) (median 1.20 h vs. 0.83 h, P < 0.01) and recovery time (mean 18.05 min vs. 11.89 min, P < 0.01). The mean doses of sufentanil and rocuronium bromide during the procedure and FLACC scores at 1 h and 6 h after surgery were also lower in the GA + CA group (p < 0.01). The hemodynamic changes in the GA + CA group were more stable at time of t2 (during transanal operation) and t3 (10 min after transanal operation), but there was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative side effects between the two groups (P = 1.000). Conclusion General anesthesia combined with caudal block can shorten the duration of operation, and provide more stable intraoperative hemodynamics and better postoperative analgesia.

Combination of Dexmedetomidine and Bupivacaine for Caudal Anesthesia In Children

Background: Caudal anesthesia is one of the most popular, reliable and safe methods of pain relief in children and can provide pain relief for various surgical procedures below the navel. Aim: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of the caudal use of dexmedetomidine in caudal anesthesia in children. Methods: The subject of the study was 46 children with physical status I and II class of the American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA), aged 0 to 12 years, who underwent elective surgeries below the navel, such as hernia repair, orchiopexy, hypospadias repair, epispadias, etc. Results: The duration of caudal analgesia was determined from the moment the anesthetic was injected until the moment the child first complained of pain or the time when the first postoperative analgesia was required. The average duration of postoperative caudal analgesia in patients of group A was 4.21 ± 0.88, while in patients of group B this duration was 10.18 ± 0.85 hours. Conclusions. Our results show that the addition of dexmedetomidine to the local anesthetic for caudal block significantly increases the duration of analgesia and reduces the need for analgesics. More data is also needed on the neurological safety of dexmedetomidine. Key words: dexmedetomidine,caudal block, bupivacaine.

Transrectal ultrasound-guided prostate biopsy: periprostatic block versus caudal block for analgesia—a randomized trial

Background Transrectal ultrasound (TRUS)-guided prostate biopsy is a potentially painful procedure, due to the insertion of the TRUS probe in the anus and multiple passes of the biopsy needle through the rectum and prostate. Several methods of reducing pain and discomfort have been described. These include intra-rectal local anaesthetic gel (IRLA) instillation, periprostatic nerve block (PPNB), caudal block (CB) and oral analgesics. CB has potential complications of dural puncture and anaesthetic failure, while PPNB may be complicated by intravascular injection with systemic local anaesthetic toxicity. Only few studies have compared transrectal PPNB with CB with equivocal results. This study compared transrectal PPNB to CB in terms of efficacy of analgesia and incidence of complications. Methods A prospective randomized clinical trial was carried out among 80 consenting patients with an indication for TRUS-guided prostate biopsy in the Urology division of [BLINDED FOR PEER REVIEW]. Eighty participants were each randomized to either of Group A (CB with 10 ml of 2% lidocaine) or Group B (PPNB with a total of 20 ml of 1% lidocaine). Pain was assessed using an 11-point numerical rating scale (NRS), and questions on satisfaction with the procedure and willingness for a repeat procedure were asked. The incidence of complications was also recorded. Results There were no significant differences in the mean ages, body mass indices (BMIs), prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, digital rectal examination (DRE) findings and prostate sizes between the two groups. The mean NRS scores at administration of block, insertion of TRUS probe, prostate biopsy, 30 min and 1 day after biopsy were 2.9 ± 2.3, 2.1 ± 2.2, 3.1 ± 2.6, 1.4 ± 2.2 and 0.2 ± 0.4 respectively for CB and 3.1 ± 2.2, 2.3 ± 1.2, 2.8 ± 2.7, 1.4 ± 1.7 and 0.3 ± 0.5, respectively, for the PPNB group. There were no significant differences between the mean scores in both groups. There were also no statistically significant differences in the incidences of complications in both groups. Conclusion The two methods of analgesia are similar in efficacy and are equally safe to employ in the performance of TRUS-guided prostate biopsy. Both methods can be learned to increase the repertoire of the urologist when faced with a TRUS-guided prostate biopsy. Trial registration PACTR, PACTR202012779661309. Registered 11th December 2020—Retrospectively registered, https://pactr.samrc.ac.za/TrialDisplay.aspx?TrialID=14564.