Evaluation of the effects of ultrasound-guided infraclavicular nerve block on postoperative pain in pediatric supracondylar fracture surgery

Background/Aim: Ultrasound-guided upper and lower extremity nerve blocks offer significant advantages in adult patients. However, the effectiveness of these advantages in children is being investigated. The aim of this study was to evaluate postoperative pain scores of single-injection infraclavicular nerve block in pediatric patients who underwent supracondylar surgery. Methods: Forty-one patients who underwent supracondylar surgery between December 2016 and December 2017, with either general anesthesia (GA, n=19) or ultrasound-guided infraclavicular block (ICB, n=22) were included in this retrospective cohort study. Postoperative visual analogue scale (VAS) pain scores at the 30th min, 2nd, 6th, 12th, and 24th hours, the total amount of pethidine and paracetamol administered, and time until the first analgesia requirement were evaluated. Results: The demographic characteristics of the patients were similar (p>0.05). The VAS scores and total amount of consumed pethidine and paracetamol were lower in the ICB group in the first 12 hours than in the GA group, but the opposite was true at the 24th hour (P<0.001). The first analgesia requirement time was much longer in the ICB group than in the GA group (P<0.001). The two groups were similar in terms of complications (P<0.05). Conclusion: Ultrasound-guided infraclavicular block could be a useful option for postoperative analgesia control in patients undergoing supracondylar surgery.