Evaluation of the Relationship Between Postoperative Surgical Complications and Caudal Epidural Block in Pediatric Hypospadias Surgery

Caudal Epidural Block and Hypospadias Postsurgical Complication Relation

Abstract

Objective: The use of caudal epidural block (CEB) for perioperative analgesia in hypospadias surgery has yielded conflicting results regarding its impact on postoperative complications. Our aim is to evaluate the relationship between postoperative surgical complications and the use of CEB in pediatric hypospadias surgery, specifically assessing the impact of CEB across different surgical techniques.
Methods: This retrospective study analyzed pediatric patients who underwent hypospadias surgery under general anesthesia, with or without CEB, at Gazi University between January 2017 and December 2021. Data from 174 patients, aged 7 to 143 months, were reviewed. Parameters included patient age, level of the ectopic external urethral meatus, surgical technique, postoperative complications, and anesthetic method. Statistical analyses were performed using IBM SPSS V22.0.
Results: Among the patients, 144 (82.8%) received CEB and 30 (17.2%) did not. No serious CEB-related complications were observed. Postoperative complications were recorded in 28.7% of cases. The study found no significant difference in complication rates between patients with and without CEB. The frequency of complications varied significantly with the level of the external urethral meatus. The study indicates that the choice of anesthetic method, including the use or nonuse of CEB, does not significantly affect postoperative complications following pediatric hypospadias surgery. While CEB provides effective analgesia, its association with complications is not statistically significant.
Conclusion: CEB is a beneficial analgesic technique in pediatric hypospadias surgery and is not associated with a significant increase in postoperative complications. Its use should be considered for its analgesic benefits.