Pain Control in a Pediatric Patient With Sickle Cell Disease Using Regional Nerve Blocks for Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy: A Case Report.

The sickle cell patient population continues to provide challenges in pain control. Current therapies include narcotic usage with adjuvant therapies such as anti-inflammatories and nonpharmacological interventions. Poor pain management in the sickle cell patient population, especially postoperatively, can lead to hypoventilation, escalating opioid requirements, poor recovery, and longer hospital stays. This case report addresses a novel addition of ultrasound-guided paravertebral and rectus sheath blocks postinduction of general anesthesia and before surgical incision to assist with the intravenous postoperative pain management regimen after laparoscopic cholecystectomy in a 10-year-old boy with sickle cell disease.