AN AUDIT OF EXTRADURAL INFUSION ANALGESIA IN CHILDREN USING BUPIVACAINE AND DIAMORPHINE

One hundred and fifty extradural infusions of diamorphine and bupivacaine after major surgery in children were audited over a 15 month period. The majority of the children (69%) were less than 5 years of age. Analgesia was assessed or selfrated as‘very good' in over 75% of patients. Urinary retention was seen in 11% of patients and pruritis in 10%. Respiratory depression requiring intervention was only seen in one patient–a premature infant of 39 weeks postconceptual age. Technical complications resulted in the early loss of 16.7% of the infusions. Although analgesia was good the complexity of the extradural infusion technique demanded significant medical and nursing time especially to overcome technical problems. Copyright © 1993, Wiley Blackwell. All rights reserved