What are the options for postoperative pain control?

What are the options for postoperative pain control?

There are several options available for postoperative pain control. Regional anesthetic techniques are the prefer-able choice for these patients because excellent analgesia can be obtained without the use of opioids, which would increase the risk for postoperative apnea. These techniques include caudal block, ilioinguinal, and iliohypogastric nerve blocks, and local anesthetic infiltration of the wound by the surgeon. 

It is important to keep track of the amount of local anesthetic injected to prevent toxic levels in these typically very low weight neonates. Acetaminophen administered orally or rectally is another option for pain control, especially as the regional block subsides. Finally, IV opioids may be administered but the patient must be closely observed for apnea.