Ultrasound-guided suprazygomatic maxillary nerve blocks and perioperative opioid consumption in pediatric cleft palate repair: a retrospective cohort study.

The primary outcome was total perioperative opioid consumption, measured as morphine milligram equivalents per kilogram (MME/kg).

Secondary outcomes included intraoperative and postoperative opioid use, time to first successful feeding, and length of hospital stay.

Seventy-four patients met inclusion criteria, of whom 28 received an ultrasound-guided suprazygomatic maxillary nerve block.

Patients who did not receive an suprazygomatic maxillary nerve block consumed more opioids (56%; 95% confidence interval [CI] 12.1-117.3; p = 0.010).