Pediatric Caudal Epidural Anesthesia: Ultrasonic Evaluation of Local Anesthetic Spread

This study aims to visualize the spread of a standard dose of local anesthetic (pain relieving drugs) using an ultrasound machine (a device that provides a image of body structures below the skin using sound waves).

The ultrasound machine is very similar to those used to scan unborn babies and is therefore very safe and used regularly in other areas of medicine. We would like to scan your child during the injection of his/her anesthetic. This study may help the anesthesiologists to ensure precise needle placement and to optimize injected volumes of local anesthetic.

Who can participate in this study?

• Any child from 0 - 2 years of age undergoing routine day surgery below the bellybutton, in whom caudal anesthesia (a type of epidural commonly used in children) would normally be used as to provide pain relief.

Who should not participate in this study?

• Children who are known to have abnormal anatomy in the lower back region cannot participate in this study.

Status?

• Actively recruting subjects.

For more information, please see the Consent/Information form