Postoperative Pain Control in Children Undergoing Laparoscopic Appendectomy: Peripheral Nerve Block Versus Local Anesthetic

Summary

After undergoing a laparoscopic appendectomy, a child may experience some degree of pain in the postoperative period. As a routine part of the procedure, surgeons inject local anesthetic where the laparoscopic ports are placed. This provides some pain relief, but most children will still require additional pain medications after surgery. The purpose of the study is to see if a combination of peripheral nerve blocks (rectus sheath and ilioinguinal nerve) will give better pain relief, decreasing pain medication requirements and increasing comfort during the postoperative period.

Timeline

Start

2008-05

Primary completion

2010-01

Completion

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Publications

• Background Ferguson S, Thomas V, Lewis I. The rectus sheath block in paediatric anaesthesia: new indications for an old technique? Paediatr Anaesth. 1996;6(6):463-6. doi: 10.1046/j.1460-9592.1996.d01-24.x.
• Background Willschke H, Bosenberg A, Marhofer P, Johnston S, Kettner S, Eichenberger U, Wanzel O, Kapral S. Ultrasonographic-guided ilioinguinal/iliohypogastric nerve block in pediatric anesthesia: what is the optimal volume? Anesth Analg. 2006 Jun;102(6):1680-4. doi: 10.1213/01.ane.0000217196.34354.5a.

Drugs

Indications

No indication recorded.