Increasing Caudal Block Utilization to Promote Opioid Stewardship in the NICU Population: A Quality Improvement Project

jpedsurg.org

Regional anesthetic techniques are safe and effective in reducing pain and the need for opioid analgesia but may be underutilized in neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) patients. We developed an opioid stewardship pathway aimed at reducing the use of opioid analgesia in neonates by increasing caudal block utilization from a baseline of 50%–90% within 18 months.

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Article · Sep 2024 · 1 min read

In brief

This quality improvement initiative successfully increased caudal block usage in NICU patients from 50% to 90% over 18 months as part of an opioid stewardship pathway. The project demonstrates how expanding regional anesthesia techniques can effectively reduce opioid dependence in vulnerable neonatal populations while maintaining adequate pain control.

Caudal blocks are safe and effective for reducing opioid use in NICU patients but remain underutilized.
A quality improvement pathway increased caudal block utilization from 50% to 90% over 18 months.
Regional anesthesia techniques offer a viable opioid-sparing strategy for neonatal pain management.
Systematic implementation of caudal blocks supports opioid stewardship in vulnerable NICU populations.

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