title: Thoracic Paravertebral Nerve Blocks in Pediatric Patients: Safety and Clinical Experience.
abstract: Thoracic paravertebral nerve blocks (PVNBs) provide excellent analgesia for many surgeries. The primary aim was to estimate the complication rate, and secondary aims were to provide information on the potential clinical application of PVNBs. Data on 2390 PVNBs were collected. A total of 625 catheters were performed on 468 patients, and 1765 single-injection PVNBs were performed on 403 patients. There was 1 case of local anesthetic systemic toxicity for a major complication rate of 1 per 2390 PVNBs. The minor complication rate was 13.2%. We demonstrate a low risk of complications in pediatric patients receiving PVNBs for various surgeries.
authors.affiliation: From *Department of Anesthesiology, Perioperative and Pain Medicine, Boston Children's Hospital, Boston, Massachusetts; and †Department of Anesthesiology, Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
authors.forename: Tricia
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Vecchione
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Zurakowski
authors.forename: Karen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Boretsky
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D000779:Anesthetics, Local / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000009:adverse effects; D001900:Boston; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006776:Hospitals, Pediatric; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D009407:Nerve Block / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000379:methods*; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D010414:Pennsylvania; D012307:Risk Factors; D013900:Thoracic Nerves; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000779:Anesthetics, Local