Many children require plastic surgery to correct congenital deformities. The head and neck are commonly affected, which may introduce special problems for the anesthesiologist. In addition, some children undergo plastic…
GENERAL PRINCIPLES 1. Children do not usually cooperate very well under moderate sedation (so called “conscious sedation”) unless they are very motivated and specially prepared and therefore require general anesthesia…
General Principles 1. General anesthesia is almost always required because children do not tolerate sedation and local analgesia for eye surgery. 2. Intraocular surgery and surgery of the nasolacrimal duct…
General Principles 1. Perioperative management must be planned to minimize the possibility of increasing the intracranial pressure (ICP) and to ensure optimal operating conditions for the neurosurgeon. 2. Light general…
The Postanesthesia Care Unit General Management All children should be transported to the postanesthesia care unit (PACU) in the lateral decubitus position with the head extended so as to provide…
Routine Preparation for Surgery Preoperative Assessment A careful assessment of the child must be made at the time of the preoperative visit. Although many children are healthy, some have diseases…
Upper Respiratory Tract Infection Infants and children often have or are recovering from a runny nose or other manifestations of upper respiratory tract infection (URTI) when they are seen for…
Routes of Administration Intravenous. The intravenous route is the most certain route to deliver drugs to the bloodstream under all conditions and is the principal route for all anesthetic drugs…
Central Nervous System The central nervous system in the neonate differs from that in the older child: the myelination of nerve fibers is incomplete, and the cerebral cortex is less…
PSYCHOLOGICAL ASPECTS OF ANESTHESIA FOR CHILDREN Hospitalization and/or medical procedures can have profound emotional consequences for infants and children. Some children demonstrate behavior disturbances that persist long after the event….
