BACKGROUND: We compared the postoperative analgesic efficacy of caudal levobupivacaine with bupivacaine in pediatric subumbilical surgery. METHODS: Sixty American Society of Anesthesiologists I-II patients scheduled for elective minor surgery (1.5-7 years old) were randomly divided into three groups to receive caudal injections of study drugs at 0.5 ml/kg. All patients received 0.1 mg/kg oral midazolam 30 min before surgery. Group B received 0.125% bupivacaine, group L received 0.125% levobupivacaine, and group LF received 0.125% levobupivacaine + 0.5 microg/kg fentanyl. Blood pressure, heart rate and sedation (using a four-scale sedation score) were monitored perioperatively. During the postoperative period, an anesthesiologist blinded to the study groups used the Children's and Infants' Postoperative Pain Scale to monitor patients' pain and degree of sedation. The time before the first rescue analgesic was recorded as well as any side effects over the next 24 h. RESULTS: The four-scale sedation and postoperative pain scale scores in all groups were identical. Blood pressure and heart rate measured at 15 min postoperatively were lower, and time to first rescue analgesic was longer, in Group LF compared to the others. CONCLUSIONS: Caudal 0.5 ml/kg of 0.125% bupivacaine and levobupivacaine are equally effective for postoperative analgesia after subumbilical surgeries in pediatric patients. Addition of fentanyl may lower the required amount of local anesthetics.
Analgesia ; Analgesia, Epidural ; Anesthetics, Local ; Blood Pressure ; Bupivacaine* ; Fentanyl ; Heart Rate ; Humans ; Midazolam ; Pain, Postoperative ; Pediatrics ; Postoperative Period ; Surgical Procedures, Minor

STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective. PURPOSE: This study investigated the possible association of persistent low back pain (LBP) with caesarean section (CS) under spinal anesthesia. OVERVIEW OF LITERATURE: Many women suffer from LBP after CS, which is commonly performed under spinal anesthesia. However, this type of LBP is poorly understood, and there is poor consensus regarding increased risk after spinal anesthesia. METHODS: We examined two groups of patients who underwent cesarean delivery under spinal anesthesia. Group I included patients who presented to a neurosurgical clinic complaining of LBP for at least 6 months. Group II was a control group with patients without LBP. We analyzed clinical and sagittal angle parameters, including age, body mass index, parity, central sagittal angle of the sacrum (CSAS), and sacral slope (SS). RESULTS: Fifty-three patients participated in this study: 23 (43.1%) in Group I and 30 (56.9%) in Group II. Non-parametric Mann–Whitney U-tests showed that age, parity, and CSAS significantly differed between the two groups at 6 months. CONCLUSIONS: Age, parity, and CSAS appear to be associated with increased risk for LBP after CS under spinal anesthesia. Future prospective studies on this subject may help validate our results.
Anesthesia, Spinal ; Body Mass Index ; Cesarean Section* ; Consensus ; Female ; Humans ; Low Back Pain* ; Parity ; Pregnancy ; Prospective Studies ; Retrospective Studies ; Risk Factors* ; Sacrum*