Johnson BL, Todd HF, Vasudevan SA, et al. - Often open operations are performed on pediatric oncology patients for tumor resection, and the use of epidural catheters is common for pain control. Researchers sought to determine if equivalent postoperative pain control is obtained with a subcutaneous analgesic system (SAS). They performed an IRB approved, retrospective chart review of children undergoing open abdominal, pelvic or thoracic surgery for tumor resection. Of 101 included children [median age: 7 years (2 months – 17.9 years)], 65 received epidural and 36 received SAS for postoperative pain control. Outcomes suggest that pain control attained using SAS may be similar to epidural, but with faster postoperative recovery, fewer complications, and less discharge narcotic use.