RESUMEN
PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Outpatient surgery in the pediatric population has become increasingly common. However, many patients still experience moderate to severe postoperative pain. A poor understanding of the extent of pain after pediatric ambulatory surgery and the lack of randomized control studies of pain management of the outpatient necessitate this review of scientific evidence and multimodal analgesia. RECENT FINDINGS: A multimodal approach to pain management should be applied to the ambulatory setting to decrease postoperative pain. These include non-pharmacological techniques, multimodal pharmacologics, and neuraxial and peripheral nerve blocks. Postoperative pain management in pediatric ambulatory surgical patients remains suboptimal at most centers due to limited evidence-based approach to postoperative pain control. Pediatric ambulatory pain management requires a multipronged approach to address this inadequacy.
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Analgesia , Anestesia de Conducción , Procedimientos Quirúrgicos Ambulatorios , Analgésicos Opioides , Niño , Humanos , Manejo del Dolor , Dolor Postoperatorio/terapiaRESUMEN
Over the past several years, pediatric critical care units increasingly count on the expert advisement of palliative care specialists. Given the limited availability of pediatric palliative care specialists, all palliative care clinicians may be required to care for pediatric patients and their families. Special considerations in caring for these patients include the relative importance of prognosis, involvement of child life, music and pet therapy, incorporation of parents in end-of-life rituals, care for siblings, use of medical technology, and prolonged duration of stay. The following top 10 tips provide recommendations for caring for seriously ill infants, children, adolescents, and the families of these critically ill pediatric patients. They are written by pediatric intensive care providers to address common issues around palliative care in intensive care units.
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Enfermedad Crítica/enfermería , Enfermería de Cuidados Paliativos al Final de la Vida/educación , Enfermería de Cuidados Paliativos al Final de la Vida/normas , Unidades de Cuidado Intensivo Neonatal/normas , Unidades de Cuidado Intensivo Pediátrico/normas , Guías de Práctica Clínica como Asunto , Adolescente , Adulto , Niño , Preescolar , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Recién Nacido , Masculino , Persona de Mediana EdadRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Palliative care physicians often assist with pain management in children with cancer, but little is known about how they use long-acting opioids for chronic pain with these patients. OBJECTIVE: To determine the practices, attitudes, and beliefs of palliative care physicians toward the use of long-acting opioids in children with advanced cancer. DESIGN: An electronic survey was sent to all members of The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) Section of Hospice and Palliative Medicine (SOHPM) and those identified as physicians who provide palliative care to children on the AAP SOHPM LISTSERV®. RESULTS: The response rate to the survey was 62% (116/188). A majority (66% [77/116]) of physicians are board certified in both pediatrics and hospice and palliative medicine. This represents 28% of all board-certified pediatric palliative care physicians. Most palliative care physicians report comfort in using long-acting opioids in children (84-94%), with the exception of long-acting hydromorphone (37%). Physicians perceived methadone as least costly (3%) but associated it with a higher perceived family resistance (51%). As compared with pediatric palliative care fellowship-trained physicians, nonpediatric fellowship-trained physicians perceived titration of oxycodone ER and morphine ER to be easier (p = 0.06, p = 0.07) and less likely to agree that the main reason for starting methadone is that the existing formulations of other long-acting opioids are unsuitable for children (p = 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Most physicians who provide palliative care to children are comfortable using opioids but there is significant variation in the level of comfort with different opioids. This information will be helpful in developing targeted education for palliative care providers.
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Analgésicos Opioides/uso terapéutico , Dolor en Cáncer/tratamiento farmacológico , Conocimientos, Actitudes y Práctica en Salud , Metadona/uso terapéutico , Manejo del Dolor/métodos , Cuidados Paliativos/métodos , Médicos/psicología , Adulto , Niño , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Encuestas y Cuestionarios , Estados UnidosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Methadone is an attractive medication for treating children with advanced cancer with pain as it is the only long-acting opioid available as a liquid. However, it is not frequently used due to concerns about potential toxicities and side effects. OBJECTIVE: Evaluate the efficacy and safety of methadone as the first long-acting opioid in children with advanced cancer. DESIGN: Retrospective chart review of 52 consecutive patients referred to Pediatric Supportive Care for pain management started on methadone as their first long-acting opioid. Data collected at baseline, follow-up visits #1 (F1) and #2 (F2) included child and parent-reported outcomes for various physical and psychological symptoms, opioid side effects and other clinical data. Symptoms were rated on a 0 (not at all) to 4 (a lot) scale. RESULTS: Pain (mean ± standard deviation [SD]) scored by the child was 3.6 (±0.6)/4 at baseline and 1.8 (±1.1)/4 at F1 (p < 0.0001). Compared to baseline, pain scored by the child at F2 was 1.2 (±1.3)/4 (p < 0.0001). Pain scored by the parent was 3.5 (±0.7)/4 at baseline and 1.4 (±1.3)/4 at F1 (p < 0.0001). Compared to baseline, pain scored by the parent at F2 was 1.0 (±1.2)/4 (p < 0.0001). Thirty-three (70%) patients at F1 and 23 (79%) patients at F2 did not need a change in dose of methadone. No cardiac arrhythmias or opioid neurotoxicity was observed. CONCLUSIONS: Initiation of methadone was effective and safe as the first long-acting opioid in children with pain.
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Analgésicos Opioides/uso terapéutico , Dolor en Cáncer/tratamiento farmacológico , Metadona/uso terapéutico , Adolescente , Niño , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Manejo del Dolor , Dimensión del Dolor , Estudios Retrospectivos , Encuestas y CuestionariosRESUMEN
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine infusions in patients with advanced malignancies, advanced heart disease, or after stem cell transplantation (SCT), who during end-of-life care had pain and/or agitation unresponsive to conventional therapies. BACKGROUND: Pediatric patients with intractable advanced malignancies, end-stage congenital heart diseases, or after SCT can suffer a great deal during end of life. Pain, drowsiness, fatigue, irritability, and worrying are experienced frequently, considered distressing, and are strongly associated with reductions in health-related quality-of-life scores. While opioids are the mainstay of analgesic therapy, in some patients, increasing opioid use can be ineffective and can be associated with increasing pain during end of life. Dexmedetomidine, a α2-adrenoreceptor agonist with sedative and analgesic properties but without respiratory depressant effects, has been shown to reduce opioid requirement and to facilitate opioid weaning. METHODS: Observational cohort study of consecutive patients treated with dexmedetomidine during end of life in a pediatric hospital. Primary outcomes included pain scores and morphine-equivalent intake. RESULTS: We identified nine patients [median age 8 (interquartile range; IQR 0.55-17 years)] who during end of life had received dexmedetomidine infusions. In these patients, dexmedetomidine infusions had a median duration of two days (IQR 1.5-12 days) and were associated with significant (p < 0.001) reductions in pain scores and a trend toward decreasing morphine-equivalent intake. There were no hemodynamic changes requiring vasoactive or anticholinergic agents. CONCLUSIONS: These preliminary findings of beneficial effects of dexmedetomidine support the hypothesis that dexmedetomidine has a role in palliative care of children and adolescents during end of life.
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Analgésicos no Narcóticos/uso terapéutico , Dexmedetomidina/uso terapéutico , Cardiopatías/complicaciones , Hipnóticos y Sedantes/uso terapéutico , Dolor/tratamiento farmacológico , Dolor/etiología , Adolescente , Niño , Preescolar , Estudios de Cohortes , Femenino , Humanos , Lactante , Masculino , Cuidados Paliativos/métodosRESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Patient controlled anesthesia (PCA) is increasingly used to manage pain in pediatric cancer patients and is important in the treatment of escalating pain at the end of life. The description of the use of opioid PCA in this population has been limited. PROCEDURE: This retrospective chart review of the last 2 weeks of life addressed the following objectives: (1) to describe the patient population treated with opioid PCA; (2) to describe the morphine-equivalent doses (MED) (mg/kg/day); and (3) to describe the pain scores (PS). RESULTS: Twenty-eight percent of inpatients used opioid PCA for pain control during the last 2 weeks of life. The mean MED (mg/kg/day) (SD) at 2 weeks prior and the day of death were 10.7 (17.9) and 19 (25.8). The mean MED increased over the last 2 weeks of life for all patients and across age groups and cancer diagnoses (all P < 0.05). The mean MED was significantly higher in the younger age group (age <13 vs. age ≥ 13) on the day of death (P < 0.04). There was a significant change in mean PS over the last 2 weeks of life (P < 0.001), with the highest PS on the day before death. The most frequently used concurrent medications were benzodiazepines (91%). CONCLUSIONS: Children and young adults with cancer experience high opioid requirements and significant dose increases during the last 2 weeks of life. Additionally, PS increase toward the end of life. Opioid rotation and addition of adjuvant medications merit consideration in the context of escalating opioid requirements.