Multisite prospective study of perioperative pain management practices for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction in adolescents: Society for Pediatric Anesthesia Improvement Network (SPAIN) Project Report.

INTRODUCTION: Although 200 000 adolescents undergo anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery annually, no benchmarks for pediatric post-ACLR pain management exist. We created a multicenter, prospective, observational registry to describe pain practices, pain, and functional recovery after pediatric ACLR. METHODS: Participants (n=519; 12-17.5 years) were enrolled from 15 sites over 2 years. Data on perioperative management and surgical factors were collected. Pain/opioid use and Lysholm scores were assessed preoperatively, on postoperative day 1 (POD1), POD3, week 6, and month 6. Descriptive statistics and trends for opioid use, pain, and function are presented. RESULTS: Regional analgesia was performed in 447/519 (86%) subjects; of these, adductor canal single shot was most frequent (54%), nerve catheters placed in 24%, and perineural adjuvants used in 43%. On POD1, POD3, week 6, and month 6, survey response rates were 73%, 71%, 61%, and 45%, respectively. Over these respective time points, pain score >3/10 was reported by 64% (95% CI: 59% to 69%), 46% (95% CI: 41% to 52%), 5% (95% CI: 3% to 8%), and 3% (95% CI: 1% to 6%); the number of daily oxycodone doses used was 2.8 (SD 0.19), 1.8 (SD 0.13), 0, and 0. There was considerable variability in timing and tests for postdischarge functional assessments. Numbness and weakness were reported by 11% and 4% at week 6 (n=315) and 16% and 2% at month 6 (n=233), respectively. CONCLUSION: We found substantial variability in the use of blocks to manage post-ACLR pain in children, with a small percentage experiencing long-term pain and neurological symptoms. Studies are needed to determine best practices for regional anesthesia and functional assessments in this patient population.

Erector spinae plane blocks for opioid-sparing multimodal pain management after pediatric cardiac surgery.

OBJECTIVE: Peripheral regional anesthesia is proposed to enhance recovery. We sought to evaluate the efficacy of bilateral continuous erector spinae plane blocks (B-ESpB) for postoperative analgesia and the impact on recovery in children undergoing cardiac surgery. METHODS: Patients aged 2 through 17 years undergoing cardiac surgery in the enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery program were prospectively enrolled to receive B-ESpB at the end of the procedure, with continuous infusions via catheters postoperatively. Participants wore an activity monitor until discharge. B-ESpB patients were retrospectively matched with control patients in the enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery program. Outcomes of the matched clusters were compared using exact conditional logistic regression and generalized linear modeling. RESULTS: Forty patients receiving B-ESpB were matched to 78 controls. There were no major complications from the B-ESpB or infusions, and operating room time was longer by a median of 31 minutes. While blocks were infusing, patients with B-ESpB received fewer opioids in oral morphine equivalents than controls at 24 hours (0.60 ± 0.06 vs 0.78 ± 0.04 mg/kg; P = .02) and 48 hours (1.13 ± 0.08 vs 1.35 ± 0.06 mg/kg; P = .04), respectively. Both groups had low median pain scores per 12-hour period. There was no difference in early mobilization, length of stay, or complications. CONCLUSIONS: B-ESpBs are safe in children undergoing cardiac surgery. When performed as part of a multimodal pain strategy in an enhanced recovery after cardiac surgery program, pediatric patients with B-ESpB experience good pain control and require fewer opioids in the first 48 hours.