[The use of ultrasound for nerve block in children seems beneficial]

Abstract

Nerve blocks play an increasingly important role in pediatric regional anaesthesia. The benefits are numerous compared to standard pain regimens. The use of ultrasound (US) for nerve blocks lowers the volume of local anaesthetics applied, shortens the on-set time and results in higher success rates. Furthermore, US has the potential to reduce the rate of complications. This review describes both classic and US guided techniques for the peripheral nerve blocks used for pediatric abdominal and thoracic surgery and briefly discusses the advantages and disadvantages of applying US.