Neuraxial anaesthesia in paediatrics

Neuraxial anaesthesia is a valuable tool in the practice of paediatric anaesthesia. Spinal and epidural blockade are used for a variety of surgical cases as the sole anaesthetic or as an adjunct to general anaesthesia, and confer significant postoperative analgesia. Caudal epidural anaesthesia is used extensively for lower abdominal, urological, and orthopaedic procedures in the setting of outpatient surgery. Lumbar and thoracic epidural infusions via a catheter can provide analgesia for chest and upper abdominal procedures. The potential complications associated with neuraxial anaesthesia can be minimized by prudent technique and careful management. The use of the ultrasound for real-time visualization during paediatric neuraxial blocks may improve safety, success rate, and pain control after surgery.