Caudal anesthesia in pediatric practice

Abstract

Caudal anesthesia has been used for more than a hundred years. Caudal epidural blockade is the most commonly used regional technique in children and is considered the safest access to the epidural space. This method of anesthesia is used in combination with general anesthesia. With the correct implementation of this anesthetic manual, the risk of complications is small. The technique is used for peri- and postoperative analgesia in children of different ages. The main advantage of the method is high-quality anesthesia during caudal blockade, it is provided in 95–98 % of cases. The level of anesthesia depends on the amount of anesthetic administered; in some cases it may reach the level of the chest. The same advantage is the rapid onset of adequate analgesia and its long-term effect. For successful regional anesthesia in a pediatric patient, it is necessary for the anesthesiologist to know the anatomical and physiological structures of the body, the pharmacology of local anesthetics and the availability of the necessary medical equipment. The research presents a method of using caudal anesthesia as a component of anesthetic support for surgical interventions performed in children. We present the advantages and disadvantages of such anesthesia, indications and contraindications to its use, analyze possible complications, the implementation method.