The effect of perioperative and postoperative caudal block on pain control in children

Ten paediatric patients (ASA status 1) who had bilateral club foot deformities and underwent bilateral posterior medio-lateral release within a two week interval (one foot operated each time) were assigned to one of two groups in a double-blind manner. Group one received caudal bupivicaine (0.25%) 2 mg·kg⁻¹ before the surgical incision, followed by caudal normal saline infused at the same volume after the surgical incision. Group two received caudal saline before surgical incision followed by caudal bupivicaine (0.25%) infused 15 min after the surgical incision. No additional analgesic was used before or during the operation. Patients were selected in a manner that allowed each patient to be assigned to either group one or two during the first or second surgical episodes. Anaesthesia was induced with halothane and maintained with nitrous oxide and isoflurane. The anaesthesiologist following the patient for postoperative pain control and analgesic requirement was blinded to the regional technique. Postoperative pain was rated on a paediatric pain scale. Children received a morphine suppository at the appropriate dose related to the body weight for postoperative pain control. There was no significant difference in the cumulative postoperative analgesic requirements within the first 48 h, nor in the time to the first postoperative analgesic administration between the two groups.