Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2020
ReviewHandling Section Editor: Prof Brian Anderson Volatiles or TIVA: which is the standard of care for Paediatric Airway Procedures? A Pro-Con Discussion.
Anesthesia for pediatric airway procedures constitutes a true art form that requires training and experience. Communication between anesthetist and surgeon to establish procedure goals is essential in determining the most appropriate anesthetic management. ⋯ Ongoing debates abound as to the advantages and disadvantages of volatile-based anesthesia versus TIVA. This pro-con discussion examines both volatiles and TIVA, from the perspective of effectiveness, safety, cost, and environmental impact, in an endeavor to justify which technique is the best specifically for pediatric airway procedures.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2020
ReviewAdaptations in Pediatric Anesthesia Care and Airway Management in the Resource-Poor Setting.
The need for safe and quality pediatric anesthesia care in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is huge. An estimated 1.7 billion children do not have access to surgical care, and the majority are in LMICs. In addition, most LMICs do not have the requisite surgical workforce including anesthesia providers. ⋯ There is often a lack of pediatric-sized anesthesia equipment and resources, making management of the local pathology even more challenging. Efforts are being made to offer these providers additional training in pediatric anesthesia skills that incorporate low-fidelity simulation. Out of necessity, anesthesia providers in this setting learn to be resourceful in order to manage complex pathologies with fewer, less ideal resources while still providing a safe anesthetic.
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Infants and children undergoing craniofacial surgery may present with a wide range of diseases and conditions posing an array of challenges to the anesthesiologist. Optimal perioperative care requires an understanding of these diseases and their impact on airway and anesthetic management. ⋯ For all of these patients, the anesthetic and airway management plans must be tailored to the surgery being performed, the patient's specific conditions, and take into consideration all phases of perioperative care. In this review, we present some of the more commonly encountered craniofacial abnormalities affecting airway management.
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Four basic types of visual aids are used for teaching airway management and decision-making in simulated as well as in real clinical situations: universal algorithms, sets of limited algorithms, concept-based cognitive aids, and checklists. The first three may represent an evolution in the understanding of the role of human error in both successful and failed airway management. Complex visual aids such as the American Society of Anesthesiology difficult airway algorithm may be more useful for teaching, while graphic cognitive aids like the Vortex may be more helpful for decision-making under stress. Not surprisingly, there is a lack of outcome studies, although some cognitive aids have been evaluated in simulation settings.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2020
ReviewAirway ultrasound: point of care in children - the time is now.
Point-of-care ultrasonography of the airway is becoming a first-line noninvasive adjunct assessment tool of the pediatric airway. It is defined as a focused and goal-directed portable ultrasonography brought to the patient and performed and interpreted on the spot by the provider. Successful use requires a thorough understanding of airway anatomy and ultrasound experience. ⋯ Although it is not standard of care yet, there is significant potential for the integration of ultrasound technology into the routine care of the airway.