Ropivacaine/Fentanyl vs. Bupivacaine/Fentanyl for Pain Control in Children after Thoracic Surgery: A Randomized Study.

•Thoracic epidural analgesia using a ropivacaine 0.2% combined with 5.0 μg/ml fentanyl and 0.125% bupivacaine with 5.0 μg/ml fentanyl resulted in similar pain relief and adverse event profiles.•Any adverse events are minor and easily reversible.•The modification of postoperative epidural analgesia by a nurse based on pain assessment and early identification and proper management of adverse events are a key to effective and safe epidural analgesia.