A regional anesthesia procedure — caudal nerve block — has a complication rate of less than two percent in surgery for infants and young children, according to a study published in the October issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia.
Researchers assessed safety outcomes in 18,650 children, who were an average age of 14 months, undergoing surgery with caudal block.
The study found that the overall estimated complication rate after caudal block was 1.9 percent. The most common complications were unsuccessful caudal block and complications related to incorrect needle placement.
None of the reported complications led to lasting or permanent adverse effects. Serious complications such as cardiac arrest and seizure were rare, occurring in just four out of 18,650 children.
The study also found that there were variations in the doses of local anesthetic used for the caudal block, which could potentially increase the risk of toxic effects.
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