Clinical Effectiveness of Transversus Abdominis Plane (TAP) Block versus Local Anesthesia Wound Infiltration for Postoperative Pain Relief After Laparoscopic Appendicectomy in Children: A Study Protocol for a Multicenter Double-Blind Randomized Controlled Phase III Trial.

Purpose: Postoperative pain relief after laparoscopic appendicectomy is a key determinant of early rehabilitation in children. Recent guidelines recommend performing either a transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block or local anesthesia (LA) wound infiltration as part of multimodal postoperative analgesia after appendectomy. To date, the clinical effectiveness of TAP block versus LA wound infiltration has never been compared. The hypothesis of this study is that the TAP block may provide a greater opioid-sparing effect after laparoscopic appendicectomy in children than LA wound infiltration. Study Design and Methods: We designed a multicenter double-blind randomized controlled phase III trial and aim to include 110 children who undergo laparoscopic appendicectomy. Children are randomized to receive either TAP block (TAP group) or LA wound infiltration (infiltration group). Multimodal analgesia is standardized in the two groups using the same protocol, which includes the stepwise prescription of paracetamol, phloroglucinol, ketoprofene, and nalbuphine according to the hetero-evaluation of pain performed by the nurses who were blinded to the treatment allocated using the validated FLACC scale. The primary outcome is the total dose of nalbuphine administered within 24 hours after surgery. Discussion: No study has specifically compared the clinical effectiveness of TAP block versus LA wound infiltration for postoperative pain relief after laparoscopic appendectomy in children. This paper describes the protocol for a randomized trial that addresses this issue. The results of this trial will be useful for editing guidelines with a higher level of evidence on this topic.

Transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange during rapid sequence induction in children.

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study was to measure the incidence of arterial oxygen desaturation during rapid sequence induction intubation in children following apnoeic oxygenation via transnasal humidified rapid-insufflation ventilatory exchange (THRIVE). METHODS: In this prospective observational study, arterial desaturation < 95% SaO2 before intubation was recorded following apnoeic RSI combining an intravenous hypnotic agent, suxamethonium and THRIVE (used during the apnoeic period). The incidence of desaturation was calculated in the whole cohort and according to patients' age (older or younger than 1 year). RESULTS: Complete data were collected for 79 patients, 1 day to 15 years of age. Nine patients (11.4%) exhibited arterial desaturation before tracheal intubation and received active facemask ventilation. Patients exhibiting desaturation were more likely to be less than 1 year of age (9/9, (100%) versus 37/70, (52.9%); P = 0.005), to be reported as difficult intubations (5/9, (55.6%) versus 1/70, (1.4%), p < 0.001), and to have regurgitation at induction (2/9, (22.2%) versus 0/70, (0%), p = 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: Results of the current study indicated that almost 91% of RSI can be performed without desaturation when THRIVE is used. A comparative controlled study is required to confirm these findings. Specific situations and conditions limiting the efficacy of THRIVE during RSI should also be investigated.

Propofol-remifentanil anesthesia for upper airway endoscopy in spontaneous breathing patients: the ENDOTANIL Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: The ENDOTANIL Trial aimed at comparing an association of target-controlled infusion (TCI) of remifentanil and propofol to TCI of propofol alone on the clinical conditions during pan endoscopy for assessment of the upper airway (pan endoscopy) performed under tubeless general anesthesia. METHODS: This double-blind, single center, parallel, randomized, placebo-controlled trial was conducted in a French tertiary level of care, from June 2009 to February 2013. Patients scheduled for elective pan endoscopy were anesthetized using propofol TCI combined to either remifentanil TCI (effect-site concentration=1.5 ng.mL-1; remifentanil group) or placebo (control group). The main outcome measure was the percentage of clinically acceptable conditions for pan endoscopy, using a 5-criteria score (ease of laryngoscopy, position and movements of the vocal cords, cough and movements of the limbs to stimulation). The secondary outcomes were hemodynamic and respiratory safety. RESULTS: In this study 218 patients (mean±SD age 60 [10] yrs) were included. Clinically acceptable conditions were observed in 68% and 64% of the patients included in Remifentanil and Control group, respectively (P=0.39). None of the 5 parameters of the pan endoscopy score was significantly different between the 2 groups. Hemodynamic alterations were significantly lower in the Remifentanil as compared to the control group. Incidence of hypoxemia or need for rescue mechanical ventilation did not significantly differ between the 2 groups. CONCLUSIONS: The adjunction of remifentanil to propofol TCI, at a dose that maintain spontaneous breathing, did not improve the conditions for pan endoscopy, but attenuates the hemodynamic response induced by upper airway stimulation.