Controversial issues in pediatric regional anesthesia

Abstract

Summary Regional anesthesia in children has reached in the last decades a widespread approval and today is a valid and effective technique used in the daily activity in many pediatric centres. Data from surveys and studies show the very low rate of complications and suggest that the use of regional techniques in children is at least as safe as general anesthesia alone. Despite these evidences there are aspects still creating discussions on the best approach to avoid or prevent risks and on the way to make this techniques more and more reliable and safe. Compartment syndrome, test dose, loss-of-resistance technique and blocks performed under general anesthesia are examples of, sometimes, never-ending stories; this review without the presumption to solve every problem shows the more recent data to offer, if possible, the best updated-answer on these topics. © 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.