Regional anaesthesia decreases the need for postoperative mechanical ventilation in very low birth weight infants undergoing herniorrhaphy

Background: We were interested to know whether regional anaesthesia allowed improved respiratory function postoperatively in very low birth weight babies. Methods: We performed a retrospective study to examine the association between regional anaesthesia and postoperative ventilation after herniorrhaphy in very low birth weight infants. Thirty-four prematurely born infants underwent herniorrhaphy from 1995 to 1997 at St Louis Children Hospital. Eighteen patients had general anaesthesia, 16 had regional anaesthesia. The mean gestational age was 26 weeks, mean postconceptual age at surgery was 38 weeks, mean birth weight was 860 g. Results: There was significant difference in postoperative ventilation support requirements between the two study groups (7/18 versus 1/16, P < 0.05). Conclusions: Regional anaesthesia decreases the need for postoperative ventilatory support requirements in very low birth weight infants undergoing herniorrhaphy.