Fentanyl Versus Midazolam as an Adjunct to Intrathecal Bupivacaine In Children

Overview

The primary aim of the present study will be to compare the analgesic effect of addition of fentanyl or midazolam to intrathecal bupivacaine by using CHEOPS pain score (Children's Hospital Eastern Ontario Pain Scale) which is based on 6 criteria: crying, facial expression, child verbal expression, torso (body position), touching or grabbing at wound and legs position. Criterion 1 is given a score of 1-3, criteria 2 and 3 are given a score of 0-2 while criteria 4, 5 and 6 are given a score of 1-2; making the worst possible score 13 while the least possible score is 4. A total score ⩽ than 6 indicates adequate analgesia. Secondary outcomes of study will be; * is to compare the duration of postoperative analgesia. * comparative assessment regarding time for first analgesic request ,total analgesic requirements. * Hemodynamic changes or other adverse events will be recorded.

Spinal anesthesia (SA) in pediatrics began to be used in the late nineteenth century in multiple procedures, with the priority for high-risk and former preterm infants, for its suggested protective role compared to the development of postoperative apnea with general anesthesia (GA) . Regional anesthesia offers several advantages over general anesthesia-blunts stress response to surgery, decreases intraoperative blood loss, lowers the incidence of postoperative thromboembolic events, and provides analgesia in early postoperative period . Spinal anesthesia has been Proposed as a means to reduce postoperative complications especially apnea and postoperative respiratory dysfunction. Prolongation of pain relief can be accomplished by various adjuvants like opioids (morphine, fentanyl, ketamine and clonidine. However, each drug has its limitations and side effects, and the need for an alternative methods and drugs always exists. Of the several opioids available for neuro-axial administration, morphine and fentanyl remain the most commonly used agents. Because of the more lipophilic nature of fentanyl, it has a more rapid onset of action than morphine. Intrathecal fentanyl produce profound analgesia by making direct contact with the substantia-gelatinosa of the cord and it also provides cephalad extend of sensorial block. The addition of intrathecal fentanyl to spinal anesthesia improves the intraoperative and the early postoperative quality of analgesia, relieves visceral pain and attenuates sympathetic activation during surgery . The addition of intrathecal midazolam gives the best prophylaxis against intraoperative and postoperative nausea and vomiting , also various studies have shown that the analgesic effect of intrathecal bupivacaine is enhanced by intrathecal midazolam without producing significant side effects.