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Caudal catheter placement for repeated epidural morphine doses after neonatal upper abdominal surgery.

Anthony M-H HoEmma TorbickiAndrea L WinthropMila KolarJulie E ZalanGillian MacLeanGlenio Bitencourt Mizubuti
Published in: Anaesthesia and intensive care (2022)
Effective pain control after major surgery in neonates presents many challenges. Parenteral opioids (and co-analgesics) are often used but inadequate analgesia and oversedation are not uncommon. Although continuous thoracic epidural analgesia is highly effective and opioid-sparing, its associated risks and the need for staff with specialised skills and/or neonatal intensive care unit staff buy-in may preclude this option even in many academic centres. We present the case of a six-day-old infant who underwent upper abdominal surgery and received intermittent morphine doses via a tunnelled caudal epidural catheter, which provided satisfactory analgesia and facilitated early extubation.
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