Preemptive Analgesia in Children Using Caudal Epidural Ropivacaine

Caudal epidural analgesia (caudal block) is used in standard pediatric anesthesia practice. It has been shown to be effective in managing postoperative pain in children undergoing abdominal and infraumbilical surgery (Tobias et al 1994). Furthermore, studies have shown that children receiving caudal blocks have secondary benefits such as lower narcotic and anesthetic requirements, more rapid awakening from general anesthesia, decreased time to discharge home, and fewer pain-related behaviors postoperatively (Conroy et al 1993, Tobias et al 1995, Tobias 1996). This proposed study involves the use of a caudal block in children undergoing elective inguinal herniorrhaphy or orchiopexy to evaluate the role of preemptive analgesia in pediatric pain management. We hypothesize that by inhibiting peripheral pain receptors with a caudal block before the onset of a painful stimulus, we can decrease central nervous system sensitization and reduce postoperative analgesic requirements.