The Effect of Dexamethasone Administration Route in Pediatric Brachial Plexus Block

Pediatric arm surgery is a complex procedure that can result in significant postoperative pain and an inflammatory response. Effective pain management is critical in this population to promote early mobilization, reduce opioid consumption, and minimize adverse outcomes.

Dexamethasone is an adjuvant in regional anesthesia that prolongs analgesia and mitigates inflammation. However, the optimal administration route of dexamethasone in infraclavicular brachial plexus block for pediatric arm surgery remains unclear. This study is designed to compare the efficacy of intravenous versus perineural dexamethasone in prolonging postoperative analgesia and reducing inflammatory responses.

This prospective, randomized, double-blinded clinical trial will enroll pediatric patients undergoing elective hip surgery. Participants will be randomized into two groups: one group will receive intravenous dexamethasone, while the other will receive perineural dexamethasone administered as part of the infraclavicular brachial plexus block. All patients will receive standardized spinal anesthesia under mild sedation and infraclavicular brachial plexus block using a local anesthetic at a fixed concentration.

The primary outcome will be time to first request rescue analgesia. Secondary outcomes include the inflammatory response measured by NLR and PLR, postoperative pain intensity, assessed using an age-appropriate pain scale at predefined time intervals, total opioid consumption, and blood glucose levels.

Safety will be closely monitored throughout the study, with particular attention to potential complications such as local anesthetic systemic toxicity (LAST) or dexamethasone-related adverse events.

Inclusion criteria

• children scheduled for arm/wrist/hand surgery
• body weight > 5kg

Exclusion criteria

• infection at the site of the regional block,
• coagulation disorders,
• immunodeficiency,
• American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical status of IV or higher,
• history of regular steroid medication.