Comparison of Characteristics of Caudal Block in Two Different Approaches: Trans-Sacral and Trans-Sacral Hiatus.

Caudal block offers a good and safe postoperative analgesia in pediatric patients. In a randomized study we have examined the characteristics and mean duration of analgesia after caudal anesthesia performed with two different routes: trans-sacral and trans-sacral hiatus. Forty boys in Ali-Ebne-Abitaleb Hospital of Zahedan undergoing hyspospadias repair were randomly allocated in two groups to receive bupivacaine 1.5mg/kg from sacral route in one group and from sacral hiatus route in the control group. Postoperative pain and sedation scores were assessed for 12 hr after operation. The time of first requiring of additional analgesia did not differ significantly between two groups (365±40 min in sacral group vs 390±35 min in trans-sacral-hiatus group) (P value=0.17). Side effects were not seen in any patients. Two groups were comparable with regards pain scores and sedation scores at 1 and 7h (P > 0.05). We concluded that the trans-sacral route is an acceptable, safe and easy method for performing caudal block, but total duration of analgesia did not differ with these two methods.