Patient-controlled regional analgesia is effective in children: a preliminary report.

Purpose: To report a preliminary analysis of prospectively recorded data in 27 children in whom patient-controlled regional analgesia (PCRA) was used for postoperative pain control following lower limb surgery.

Methods: Under general anesthesia, perineural catheters (popliteal and fascia iliaca compartment block) were inserted and infused with ropivacaine 0.2% (0.02 mL.kg(-1).hr(-1)). Additional demand doses were left to the child's discretion (0.1 mL.kg(-1)and a 30-min lockout interval).

Results: The average total dose of ropivacaine administered was 4.9 +/- 2 mg.kg(-1)over 48 hr. Visual analogue scale and Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario Pain Scale scores were always inferior to 5/10 and 6/13, respectively. Motor block was observed in two children and two children needed rescue analgesia.

Conclusions: Our preliminary observations indicate that PCRA in children provides satisfactory postoperative pain relief following lower limb surgery.