Popliteal fossa block for postoperative analgesia after foot surgery in infants and children.

The efficacy of a popliteal fossa block (PFB) was evaluated after foot and ankle surgery in children. With the child still anesthetized, a PFB was performed with 0.75 ml/kg of 0.2% ropivacaine. Postoperative analgesia was assessed by using an objective pain score, assigned at 2-h intervals. Patients with scores of > or =3 received intravenous nalbuphine. PFBs were performed in 20 children ranging in age from 0.5 to 12 years and in weight from 6 to 41 kg. In five patients, the PFB block was supplemented with a saphenous nerve block at the ankle. The PFB was unsuccessful in one patient. The remaining 19 patients required no analgesic agents during the first 8 postoperative hours. Eight patients required no analgesic agents during the first 12 postoperative hours. The duration of the analgesia varied from 8 to 12 hours. PFB provides effective analgesia after foot and ankle surgery in children.