[Combined caudal and general anesthesia in clubfoot surgery].

In a retrospective study we analysed the effect of caudal epidural anesthesia combined with general anesthesia on requirement for intraoperative narcotics and postoperative analgesics in children undergoing surgical release of congenital clubfoot. In 20 children (mean age at day of surgery 4,7 months) general anesthesia was supplemented by caudal epidural anesthesia, controls (20 children, mean age 4,3 months) received general anesthesia only. Compared to controls, the amount of narcotics was significantly reduced in the caudal epidural group (1,1 Vol% compared to 1,6 Vol% Isofluran). As well the use of analgesics in the postoperative phase was decreased from 112,5 mg to 56,3 mg Paracetamol. The children in the caudal epidural group recovered from anesthesia more comfortably. No complications occurred in either group. Our results show, that general anesthesia combined with caudal epidural anesthesia is more suitable for surgical release of congenital clubfoot than the exclusive use of general anesthesia.