Regional Anesthesia in Cardiac Pediatric Patients Less Than 5 Years Old

Retrospective Review of Regional Anesthesia in Cardiac Pediatric Patients

This retrospective review presents a comparison of pediatric patients less than 5 years old undergoing cardiac surgery with general anesthesia with spinal, caudal epidural, or caudal epidural with catheter anesthesia from July 2007 to July 2013 observing differences in time to extubation, reintubation, and hypercarbia.

Intra-operative anesthesia medical records of pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery will be acquired from July 2007 to July 2013. Allocation of regional anesthesia, and the use of spinal versus epidural versus epidural with catheter administration will be determined by provider preference. Date of surgery, age in months, gender, type of surgery, type of anesthesia, regional drugs, PaCO2 upon arrival in the PICU, time to extubation, and reintubation if applicable will be recorded. Time to extubation will be categorized into within the OR, less than 24 hours, or greater than or equal to 24 hours. PaCO2 levels will be categorized into hypercarbia (PaCO2 ≥ 50mmHg) and normal (PaCO2 < 50mmHg).

Inclusion Criteria:

• Must be pediatric patients undergoing cardiac surgery under the age of 5 years old between the years 2007 and 2013

Exclusion Criteria:

• None