COMBINED CAUDAL EPIDURAL-ANESTHESIA AND G ENERAL-ANESTHESIA IN CLUBFOOT SURGERY

In a retrospective study we analysed the effect of caudal epidural ane sthesia combined with general anesthesia on requirement for intraopera tive narcotics and postoperative analgesics in children undergoing sur gical release of congenital clubfoot. In 20 children (mean age at day of surgery 4,7 months) general anesthesia was supplemented by caudal e pidural anesthesia, controls (20 children, mean age 4,3 months) receiv ed general anesthesia only. Compared to controls, the amount of narcot ics was significantly reduced in the caudal epidural group (1,1 Vol% c ompared to 1,6 Vol% Isofluran). As well the use of analgesics in the p ostoperative phase was decreased from 112,5 mg to 56,3 mg Paracetamol. The children in the caudal epidural group recovered from anesthesia m ore comfortably. No complications occured in either group. Our results show, that general anesthesia combined with caudal epidural anesthesi a is more suitable for surgical release of congenital clubfoot than th e exclusive use of general anesthesia.