The effect of ketamine on 0.25% and 0.125% bupivacaine for caudal epiduralblockade in children

Forty boys aged from one to five years undergoing orchidopexy were randomly allocated to receive one of two solutions for caudal epidural injection. G roup A received 1 ml.kg(-1) of 0.125% bupivacaine with ketamine 0.5 mg.kg(- 1) and Group B received 1 ml.kg(-1) of bupivacaine 0.25% with ketamine 0.5 mg.kg(-1) Postoperative pain was assessed by means of a modified Objective Pain Score and analgesia was administered if this score exceeded four. The median duration of caudal analgesia was 8h in Group A compared with 9.5 h i n Group B (P<0.05). The time taken to recover the ability to walk was a med ian of two h in Group A and three h in Group B (P<0.05). There were no diff erences between the groups in the incidence of urinary retention or postope rative sedation.