Abstract
In order to reduce postoperative opioid requirement, extrapleural local anaesthetic infusion dosing recommendations and guidelines for extrapleural catheter insertion were developed in our institution for ‘extubatable’ neonates requiring short-gap neonatal tracheo-oesophageal fistula/oesophageal atresia repair (via thoracotomy) and audited prospectively. Data audited included patient characteristics, analgesia details and ventilation duration. We divided patients into two groups: group 1 – term patients (>36 weeks gestational age) with birth-weights >2.5 kg; group 2 – pre-term patients (<36 weeks gestational age), with birth weights <2.5 kg and those with co-morbidities. There were 26 neonates in group 1 and 11 in group 2. All received extrapleural infusions of bupivacaine or levobupivacaine: the majority (90%) <300 μg.kg−1.hour−1 (median duration 43 hours, range 1.5 to 72 hours); 36% required morphine infusion and 39% were ventilated (median duration 34 hours, range 3 to 140 hours). In group 1, 24% required morphine infusion compared with 64% in group 2. Most group 1 patients (77%) were extubated immediately postoperatively; 20% had short duration ventilation (median 15 hours, range 11 to 37 hours); one required longer-term ventilation (231 hours). 82% of group 2 were ventilated for a median of 72 hours (range 3 to 140 hours). Review of patients’ co-morbidities facilitated guideline revision. These now specify use in neonates requiring short-gap tracheo-oesophageal fistula/oesophageal atresia repair who are term at >36 weeks gestational age and >2.5 kg birth-weight, anticipated as ready for extubation either immediately or shortly after surgery.