title: Inferior alveolar nerve blocks for postoperative pain control after mandibular distraction with osteotomies in a neonate.
abstract: We describe the use of inferior alveolar nerve blocks (IANBs) for postoperative pain control for a neonate undergoing mandibular distraction and osteotomies. In this case, bilateral IANBs were effective in keeping low pain scores as assessed on the neonatal infant pain scale (NIPS) and the amount of opioid and adjuvant analgesics used. The blocks were assessed to have lasted approximately 24 h making serial blocks for pain control logistically feasible. Additionally, pain control was improved throughout the period of distractor advancement (approximately 7 days). We propose the routine use of this regional technique for improved pain control after this procedure in neonates and suggest that improved pain control may facilitate earlier extubation in this challenging population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatric Anesthesiology, Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children's Hospital of Chicago, Chicago, IL, USA; Department of Anesthesiology, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Krodel
authors.forename: Dawn
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Belvis
authors.forename: Santhanam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Suresh
mesh_terms: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008340:Mandibular Nerve; D063175:Mandibular Reconstruction / Q000379:methods*; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000379:methods*; D019857:Osteogenesis, Distraction / Q000379:methods*; D010027:Osteotomy / Q000379:methods*; D010147:Pain Measurement / Q000187:drug effects; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local; D002045:Bupivacaine
keywords: Pierre Robin syndrome; acute pain; airway management; nerve block; newborn; postoperative pain