title: Continuous epidural anesthesia for postoperative analgesia in the pediatric oncology patient.
abstract: When compared with conventional techniques, epidural anesthesia not only provides improved analgesia, but also has several beneficial effects on the postoperative respiratory, cardiovascular, and metabolic status of the patient. Although the efficacy of this technique in children has been demonstrated, extensive experience in the pediatric oncology patient has not been previously reported. We retrospectively reviewed our 2-year experience with epidural analgesia and discuss the techniques involved in implementing this service for the pediatric oncology patient. An epidural catheter was successfully placed in 58 of 60 patients (97%) who ranged in age from 4 months to 19 years and in weight from 4.1 to 68 kg. Postoperative analgesia was provided by a continuous infusion of a bupivacaine/fentanyl mixture, supplemented with intermittent epidural fentanyl by bolus dose as needed. No complications related to epidural catheters were noted. Our review supports the efficacy of this technique for providing postoperative analgesia after various major surgical procedures in the pediatric oncology patient.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology, Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN 37232.
authors.forename: J D
authors.initials: JD
authors.lastname: Tobias
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Oakes
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rao
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000698:Analgesia / Q000379:methods*; D000767:Anesthesia, Epidural / Q000379:methods*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000601:surgery*; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods*; D012189:Retrospective Studies