Caudal analgesia for herniotomy: Comparative evaluation of two dose schemes of bupivacaine

Objective: There is currently a wide range of volume schemes for bupivacaine caudal anesthesia. This study evaluated the quality of caudal analgesia achieved with a dosing scheme of 0.75 ml/kg compared with 0.5 ml/kg of 0.25% plain bupivacaine for herniotomy. Methods: After the institutional approval, American Society of Anesthesiologists I-II patients aged between 1 and 6 years scheduled for unilateral inguinal herniotomy with consenting parents/guardian were recruited. The subjects were randomized to receive 0.5 ml/kg (Group 1) or 0.75 ml/kg of 0.25% bupivacaine. Anesthesia was maintained solely with halothane 0.5-1% in 100% oxygen. Postoperatively, pain was assessed using the objective pain scale (OPS). A favorable pain score was defined as