SUMMARY

Regional anesthesia has gained an established place in pediatric anesthesia, especially for outpatient surgery and postoperative pain relief. Interest results from the considerable technical improvements made over the years, especially the use of nerve stimulators for precise location of nerve trunks and the availability of equipment designed specifically for children. The greater acceptance of regional procedures in pediatrics also results from a better understanding of the basic anatomically, physiologically, and pharmacologically relevant differences between children and adults and a broader definition of anesthesia in which general and regional procedures are considered complementary to one another rather than being exclusive. The selection of an anesthetic procedure—general, regional, or a combination of both—must consider what is best for a patient. However, it must also reflect on the ability of the anesthesiologist to make a proper judgment about which technique can provide the greatest comfort and safety for the patient.