PRESURGICAL ANALGESIA IN CHILDREN SUBJECTED TO HYPOSPADIAS REPAIR

We have examined the use of different pre-surgical analgesic techniques in 30 children aged 2–10 yr undergoing repair of hypospadias. They were allocated randomly, in a double-blind, placebocontrolled study, to receive one of three analgesic techniques (n=10): lumbar extradural analgesia using 0.5% bupivacaine 1 mg kg−1 plus morphine 50 μg kg−1 morphine 100 μg kg−1 i.m.; or subpubic block using 0.5% bupivacaine 0.5 mg kg−1 for each side. Analgesics were given after induction of anaesthesia and before the start of surgery. Children given extradural analgesia had more stable haemodynamic variables and smaller catecholamine concentrations and needed less anaesthetic supplementation, with no analgesic requirement in the postoperative period. Nausea or vomiting were not reported in children given subpubic block.