Are caudal blocks for pain control safe in children? an analysis of 18,650 caudal blocks from the Pediatric Regional Anesthesia Network (PRAN) database.

TL;DR: High-level evidence is not yet available to guide dosage of LA used in regional blocks in children, and the ASRA/ESRA recommendations intend to provide guidance in order to reduce the large variability of LA dosage currently observed in clinical practice.

TL;DR: The data support the safety of placing PNCs in children, with adverse event rates similar to adult studies, and catheter problems are common, yet minor in severity.

TL;DR: A large variability in the local anaesthetic dosing practices for peripheral nerve blocks in children across multiple hospitals in the USA was detected, suggesting the need to develop practice guidelines to minimize variability of regional anaesthesia practices in children.

TL;DR: It is suggested that analgesia with ultrasound-guided QL block should be considered as an option for perioperative analgesia in pediatric patients undergoing lower abdominal surgery if the expertise and equipment are available.

TL;DR: Caudal anesthesia is the single most important pediatric regional anesthetic technique and has a remarkable safety record, and can be used for a large variety of procedures.

TL;DR: TAP blocks can result in elevated plasma ropivacaine concentrations in patients undergoing Caesarean section, which may be associated with neurotoxicity.

TL;DR: The companion article appearing in this issue of Anesthesia & Analgesia ("Aromatherapy as Treatment for Postoperative Nausea: A Randomized Trial") illustrates these issues and provides an example of a situation for which the medians imply no difference between 2 groups, even though the groups are, in fact, quite different.

TL;DR: Perioperative stroke is an important source of morbidity and mortality, as reflected by significant increases in median surgical length of stay and all-cause 30-day mortality.