Peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs) in paediatric patients

Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine
Volume 14, Issue 6, June 2013, Pages 245–250

Regional Anaesthesia

Paediatric anaesthesia
Peripheral and local anaesthetic techniques for paediatric surgery
Steve Roberts, Alasdair Howie
Steve Roberts MBChB FRCA is a Consultant Anaesthetist at the Royal Liverpool Children’s Hospital NHS Trust, UK. Conflicts of interest: none declared
Alasdair Howie BA BMBCh FRCA is a Specialist Trainee in Anaesthesia in the North West of England Deanery, UK. Conflicts of interest: none declared
http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.mpaic.2013.03.005, How to Cite or Link Using DOI

Abstract
Peripheral nerve blocks (PNBs) in paediatric patients are usually used as an adjunct to general anaesthesia, providing intra- and postoperative analgesia. These blocks provide good-quality analgesia preventing morbidity related to pain and reducing adverse effects from systemic analgesics. PNBs aid early patient recovery and discharge, which is essential in day-case surgery. Like all invasive techniques, PNBs are associated with complications and adverse effects. They should therefore be performed only after careful analysis of the risk:benefit ratio for each child. This article discusses a general approach to PNBs in children. It covers a small selection of limb and trunk blocks, and discusses the benefit of ultrasound guidance.

Keywords
Children; paediatrics; peripheral nerve blocks; regional anaesthesia
Figures and tables from this article:

Figure 1. A child having a block in a child-friendly environment.