Preoperative Suprazygomatic Maxillary Nerve Block to Reduce Perioperative Opioid Use in Pediatric Primary…

Cohort studyThe Journal of craniofacial surgery· Dec 2025

Preoperative Suprazygomatic Maxillary Nerve Block to Reduce Perioperative Opioid Use in Pediatric Primary Cleft Palate Repair: Preliminary Clinical Experience.

Nina Wijnants, Jan Hanot, Lisa E Ramaut … Rutger M Schols

Regional AnesthesiaCohort studyTreatmentQ3IF 1.1

Suprazygomatic nerve block was associated with lower morphine use in cleft palate repair

Preoperative Suprazygomatic Maxillary Nerve Block to Reduce Perioperative Opioid Use in Pediatric Primary Cleft Palate Repair: Preliminary Clinical Experience.

Nina Wijnants … Rutger M Schols

The Journal of craniofacial surgery · Dec 2025 · Q3 in General Medicine

Purpose

This explorative study aimed to investigate the potential association between preoperative ultrasound-guided suprazygomatic maxillary nerve block (suprazygomatic maxillary nerve block) and reduced perioperative opioid consumption in pediatric patients undergoing primary cleft palate repair.

Methods

This study was conducted at the Department of Plastic Surgery, Maastricht University Medical Centre MosaKids Children's Hospital, a tertiary care institution.

Results

Median morphine dose was 0.75 mg without the block versus 0 mg with it

0mg

SMNB

0.75mg

Control

More results

Secondary outcomes, including additional analgesic use and hospital stay, were not significantly different.

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Conclusion · 1 of 2

Preoperative ultrasound-guided suprazygomatic maxillary nerve block may be associated with reduced perioperative opioid consumption in pediatric primary cleft palate surgery.

Conclusion · 2 of 2

Larger, preferably randomized trials are needed to confirm its role in multimodal analgesia protocols.

Preoperative Suprazygomatic Maxillary Nerve Block to Reduce Perioperative Opioid Use in Pediatric Primary Cleft Palate Repair: Preliminary Clinical Experience.

Preoperative Suprazygomatic Maxillary Nerve Block to Reduce Perioperative Opioid Use in Pediatric Primary Cleft Palate Repair: Preliminary Clinical Experience.

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