Patients between 6 months and 18 years undergoing T&A surgical procedures will be reviewed for potential study enrollment. If participants agree to participate, they will be randomized into either the suprazygomatic maxillary nerve (SZMN) block treatment cohort or the control cohort i.e standard of care.~After anesthesia induction, patients randomized into the SZMN- treatment group will receive a bilateral single injection SZMN block under general anesthesia in the operating room. The injection will occur near the temples above the cheek bones.~Participants enrolled into the control group will receive standard of care with no changes to their anesthetic or surgical care. Both groups will be asked for their verbal pain scores in the PACU and we will track their opioid consumption throughout the next few days after their procedure.
The suprazygomatic maxillary nerve (SZMN) block is a well-established, safe and effective regional technique for pain management following cleft palate procedures, however, have not been studied for patients undergoing tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy (T&A) procedures. The goals of this study are to determine if SZMN block can be utilized for pain control and decrease morbidity in pediatric patients undergoing T&A.