Regional anaesthesia for awake urgent upper limb surgery in children: a prospective cohort study.

ABSTRACT:

Introduction

Peripheral regional anaesthesia is used rarely as the sole anaesthetic technique in children and is often combined with deep sedation or general anaesthesia for analgesic purposes. No literature addresses the minimum age at which regional anaesthesia can be considered to facilitate awake surgery in children. We hypothesised that children of school age could undergo awake urgent upper limb surgery with regional anaesthesia supported by anxiety-reduction strategies.

Methods

We recruited children aged 6-12 y who required urgent upper limb surgery. Peripheral regional anaesthesia with 0.35% ropivacaine was administered with ultrasound guidance and without neurostimulation. To reduce anxiety, patients watched cartoons on touchscreen tablets throughout the procedure.

SUBMITTER: Maupain O 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12351207 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature