Table 1.
Patient and surgery characteristics
| Ropivacaine group (n = 15) | Control group (n = 15) | |
|---|---|---|
| Gestational age at birth (weeks) | 37.6 [34.4–40.2] | 38.0 [36.5–39.5] |
| Birth weight (kg) | 3.0 [2.5–3.4] | 3.0 [2.4–3.4] |
| Male/female | 11 (73.3)/4 (26.7) | 9 (60)/6 (40) |
| Age at day of the operation (days) | 105 [60–174] | 111 [66–147] |
| Weight at day of the operation (kg) | 5.4 [3.5–7.3] | 5.9 [4.7–6.5] |
| Type of operation (n) | ||
| Closure ileostomy | 9 | 5 |
| Closure colostomy | 1 | 4 |
| Partial kidney resection | 0 | 2 |
| Pyeloplasty | 3 | 3 |
| Recurrent diaphragmatic hernia closure | 0 | 1 |
| Laparotomy for duodenal atresia/web | 2 | 0 |
| Duration of surgery (h:min) | 1:41 [1:12–1:55] | 1:51 [1:08–2:07] |
| Dose of fentanyl during the operation (mcg/kg) | 5.6 [3.7–6.8] | 6.2 [4.6–9.4] |
| Surgical Stress Score | 7.0 [7.0–9.0] | 9.0 [7.0–10.0] |
| Comorbidity | ||
| Prematurity (< 37 weeks at birth) | 5 (33.3) | 3 (20.0) |
| History of necrotizing enterocolitis | 2 (13.3) | 0 |
| Respiratory problems in neonatal period (IRDS, BPD, needing mechanical ventilation) | 5 (33.3) | 4 (26.7) |
| ASA classification | ||
| ASA I | 3 (20.0) | 0 |
| ASA II | 7 (46.7) | 9 (60.0) |
| ASA III | 5 (33.3) | 6 (40.0) |
| Admission to the PICU postoperatively | 9 (60.0) | 9 (60.0) |
Data are presented as n (%) for categorical values and as median [interquartile range] for continuous values
ASA American Society of Anesthesiologists, BPD bronchopulmonary dysplasia, h hours, IRDS infant respiratory distress syndrome, min minutes, PICU pediatric intensive care unit