The Implementation and Optimization of Neonatal Epidural Analgesia in a Tertiary Care Hospital: A Technical Report

TL;DR

This paper describes how a hospital developed a standard method for using epidural analgesia to manage pain in newborns during major surgeries.

Contribution

The paper presents a novel institutional protocol for implementing epidural analgesia in neonates for open surgeries.

Findings

Epidural analgesia was successfully standardized for neonatal use in the hospital.

The method reduced the need for additional sedation and mechanical ventilation in neonates.

The approach improved pain management outcomes for open thoracic and abdominal surgeries.

Abstract

Effective analgesic therapy in neonates continues to be fundamental for improving quality of life and decreasing the need for further medical intervention. When pain is not well controlled in the neonatal intensive care setting, we see an increased use of sedation pharmaceuticals, mechanical ventilation, and altered somatosensory development, among other complications. Currently, there is no standardized protocol addressing effective pain management while decreasing the need for further sedation. In this article, we seek to demonstrate how our institution standardized and implemented the utilization of epidural analgesia in neonates as the preferred method of pain management for open thoracic and abdominal surgeries.

Figures