Anest. intenziv. Med. 2005;16(2):87-92

A Single-shot Caudal Block with Clonidin for Hypospadia Repair in ChildrenAnaesthesiology - Original Paper

I. Otáhal¹, K. Pelikán¹, T. Výška², P. Ševčík¹

¹ Anesteziologicko-resuscitační klinika, FN u sv. Anny v Brně

² Klinika plastické a estetické chirurgie, FN u sv. Anny v Brně

Objective:
Our aim was to introduce single-shot caudal epidural block with bupivacaine and clonidin as a standard analgesic component of general anaesthesia in children undergoing hypospadia repair. We focused on analgesia after surgery and its side-effects.

Design:
Open prospective observation.


Setting:
Department of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care and Department of Plastic and Aestetic Surgery, St. Ann's University Hospital Brno, Czech Republic.


Material and Method:
66 boys were included into the study. Bupivacaine (2 mg/kg) and clonidin (2.5 mcg/kg) with saline were injected into the caudal space in the volume of 0.5 ml/kg. The block was performed under general anaesthesia.

Results:
The mean age of patients was 54.86 ± 9.11 months, mean body weight 18.81 ± 9.11 kg. Spontaneous ventilation was sufficient, circulation was stable. The children were discharged from the operating theatre 2.6 minutes after the end of the surgery (range 0.5-7 minutes). 53 boys didn't require any analgesia at the day of surgery, remaining 13 boys received the first dose of analgesics 10.3 hours (3.5-16 hours) after the caudal block.

Conclusion:
A single-shot caudal administration of the mixture containing bupivacaine 2 μg/kg and clonidin 2.5 ug/kg (total volume 0.5 ml/kg) provides reliable perioperative analgesia in the patients. The final assessment of epidural clonidin requires further research.

Keywords: postoperative analgesia; caudal block; clonidin; children; anaesthesia; pain

Published: April 1, 2005  Show citation