Dorsal block (DB) has been shown to be effective in term infants, but no data are available in low birth weight infants. Despite recommendation by the AAP that anesthesia be utilized during circumcision, the procedure continues to be performed without an anesthetic. We entered 32 infants with weight of 1600-2500g at the time of circumcision in a randomized blinded study of DB vs. placebo (P). Physiologic parameters including heart rate (HR), respiratory rate (RR), mean blood pressure (BP), oxygen saturation (O2Sat), and behavior score (BS) were documented on each infant for twenty minute periods prior to, during and twenty minutes after the circumcision and analyzed with ANOVA for repeat measures. Data are shown as mean±SD. HR, RR and BS rose significantly more in the placebo infants than DP infants, indicating higher degree of distress. BP and O2Sat did not differ between groups. No complications were seen. We conclude that the use of DB anesthesia in preterm infants undergoing circumcision is safe and effective in the reduction of pain associated with the procedure. Table

Table 1
Full size table