Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jul 2019
The effect of pediatric patient temperament on postoperative outcomes.
Research has improved practitioner awareness of the impact of individual characteristics on responses to painful procedures. However, there is little data relating preexisting temperament profiles and postsurgical/anesthesia outcomes in pediatric patients. In particular, it is not clear how best to identify which patients are at risk of poor postsurgical outcomes. ⋯ Our data indicate that preoperative temperament characteristics may differentially influence pediatric postoperative pain experience in children. Specifically, children with high levels of positive and negative emotionality may exhibit more postsurgical pain behaviors.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jul 2019
A 4 year quality improvement initiative reducing post-operative nausea and vomiting in children undergoing strabismus surgery at a quaternary paediatric hospital.
Post-operative nausea and vomiting is a significant cause of morbidity in pediatric anesthesia. As well as patient discomfort, post-operative nausea and vomiting can also result in dehydration, delayed discharge and unplanned hospital admission. Children undergoing strabismus surgery are known to be a particularly high risk group for post-operative nausea and vomiting. ⋯ Using quality improvement methodology, we were able to sustainably reduce the incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting for children undergoing strabismus repair. We demonstrated using an evidence based therapeutic bundle can reduce incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting in the high risk surgical strabismus population to a level comparable to the average post-operative nausea and vomiting incidence in our post anesthetic care unit population.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jul 2019
The Development of an Opioid Sparing Anesthesia Protocol for Pediatric Ambulatory Tonsillectomy and Adenotonsillectomy Surgery - A Quality Improvement Project.
Pain management following pediatric tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy surgery is challenging and traditionally involves perioperative opioids. However, the recent national opioid shortage compelled anesthesiologists at Bellevue Surgery Center to identify an alternative perioperative analgesic regimen that minimizes opioids yet provides effective pain relief. We assembled an interdisciplinary quality improvement team to trial a series of analgesic protocols using the Plan-Do-Study-Act cycle. ⋯ Both the D/I and D/K protocols had reduced nausea and vomiting rescue rates. Reoperation rates were similar between groups. In summary, we identified an intraoperative anesthesia protocol for pediatric tonsillectomy and adenotonsillectomy surgery utilizing dexmedetomidine and ketorolac that provides effective analgesia without increasing recovery times or reoperation rates.