CAUDAL ANALGESIA FOR POSTOPERATIVE PAIN RELIEF IN CHILDREN.

Postoperative pain relief in 40 children undergoing elective infraumbilical surgery was assessed after caudal epidural adminstration of either lignocaine or bupivacaine in the doses of 0.5 mL/kg body weight of a 1 per cent solution and 0.5 mL/kg body weight of a 0.25 per cent solution respectively. Pain free period was assessed by subjective pain scales. The pain free period was significantly prolonged in children who were given bupivacaine (14.75 ± 2.75 hours) as compared to lignocaine (7.25 ± 3.25 hours).