Trends in Perfusion Index After Successful Caudal Block Under General Anaesthesia in Children- An Observational Study

Background & Methods: Caudal anaesthesia is a very reliable technique used in pediatric age group for infraumblical interventions. The aim of the study is to observe the trend of perfusion index which is the ratio of the pulsatile blood flow to non-pulsatile static blood flow in a patients’ peripheral tissue such as fingertip, toe, ear lobe in pediatric population after administration of general anaesthesia followed by caudal block. This study involved 130 children between age group 2-7 years of either sex belonging to ASA grade I to II. Perfusion index was noted at 0,1,5,10, and then every 10 minutes interval upto 30 minutes following caudal block Results: Perfusion index was noted at 0,1,5,10, and then every 10 minutes interval upto 30 minutes following caudal block. In our study, the baseline PI measurement was 1.87 ± 0.77, which increased to 4.91 ± 1.63 at 5 minutes post-block, indicating a substantial 162.6% increase. The paired t-test results indicated statistical significance (p < 0.05) for all time points compared to baseline, highlighting the rise in PI after a successful caudal block. Conclusion: There was a significant rise in the perfusion index following caudal block at all time intervals reflecting the block's ability to achieve the desired anaesthetic and perfusion outcomes, ensuring adequate regional anaesthesia and improved surgical conditions. A progressive improvement in perfusion indices following the administration of anaesthesia reflects its reliability as a promising non-invasive indicator of successful caudal block.