POSTOPERATIVE PAIN AND STRESS RESPONSE: DOES CHILD’S GENDER HAVE AN INFLUENCE?

Surgical procedure causes multisystem stress response reactions. The aim of this study was to assess whether gender has an impact on the level of neuroendocrine response to surgical stress and intensity of postoperative pain in children undergoing inguinal hernia repair surgery, as well as satisfaction of their parents with preoperative and postoperative care. The study included 60 children aged 3-6 years, all of them the only child in the family. All children included in the study were categorized as American Society of Anesthesiologists PS Class I, and divided into two groups: group 1 composed of 30 boys and group 2 composed of 30 girls. After oral premedication with midazolam, general anesthesia with endotracheal intubation was performed in all patients. Ketorolac, 1 mg.kg(-1), was administered for postoperative analgesia. Serum cortisol was measured in all children preoperatively and postoperatively. The quality of postoperative analgesia was evaluated by Wong-Baker (FACES) scale, along with parental satisfaction. Male children who were the only child in the family had stronger neuroendocrine response to surgical stress and stronger intensity of postoperative pain. The parents of the girls expressed greater satisfaction with preoperative and postoperative care.