Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Feb 2020
ReviewEarly Experience with Erector Spinae Plane Blocks in Children.
An erector spinae plane block is a relatively new regional anesthetic technique. Apart from case reports and small series, the literature regarding pediatric use is limited. ⋯ Erector spinae plane blocks are relatively easy to perform in children with no complications reported to date. The efficacy of the block for a broad spectrum of surgeries, involving incisions from T1 to L4, is encouraging.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Feb 2020
ReviewEarly Experience with Erector Spinae Plane Blocks in Children.
An erector spinae plane block is a relatively new regional anesthetic technique. Apart from case reports and small series, the literature regarding pediatric use is limited. ⋯ Erector spinae plane blocks are relatively easy to perform in children with no complications reported to date. The efficacy of the block for a broad spectrum of surgeries, involving incisions from T1 to L4, is encouraging.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Feb 2020
ReviewClinical Practice Guidelines in Pediatric Anesthesia; What Constitutes High Quality Guidance?
The explosion of scientific evidence has outstripped the ability of individual clinicians to acquire, process, and apply it within a clinical context. Clinical practice guidelines bridge the gap between this large body of evidence and clinical practice by translating evidence into recommendations. As such, they are an important extension of the evidence-based medicine paradigm. ⋯ We then describe the essential characteristics of good quality clinical guidance and outline initiatives aimed at improving quality. Specific issues and limitations related to guideline development in perioperative care of children are discussed. Finally, two clinical guidance documents, published recently in Pediatric Anesthesia, are discussed based upon these criteria.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Feb 2020
ReviewUltrasound Guided Techniques for Peripheral Intravenous Placement in Children with Difficult Venous Access.
Peripheral intravenous placement in children can be challenging. Different techniques have been used to improve first pass success rates in children with known history of difficult venous access including surface landmarking, local warming, transillumination, ultrasonography, epidermal nitroglycerin, central venous access, intraosseous placement, and venous cutdown. Among these, ultrasound guidance has garnered the most interest among anesthesiologists. ⋯ Furthermore, five subtly varying approaches to ultrasound-guided peripheral intravenous placement with their advantages and disadvantages will be discussed. One of these five approaches is Dynamic Needle Tip Positioning. Utilizing a short axis out of plane ultrasound view, this promising technique allows for accurate needle tip localization and may increase the success rate of peripheral intravenous placement, even in small children, under deep sedation, or general anesthesia.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jan 2020
ReviewShould nitrous oxide ever be used in Oncology patients receiving methotrexate therapy?
Nitrous oxide (N2 O) is frequently used for short anesthesia/analgesia in children undergoing painful or repetitive procedures. Children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) require repeated lumbar punctures with direct instillation of intrathecal chemotherapy, usually the anti-folate agent methotrexate, during their treatment. These procedures are frequently performed under anesthesia. ⋯ In this article, we review the biochemical basis and scientific observations that suggest a significant interaction between N2 O and methotrexate due to their dual inhibition of the key enzyme methionine synthase. The possible role of this interaction in potentiating neurotoxicity in children with cancer is discussed, and arguments and counterarguments about the clinical significance of this largely theoretical relationship are explored. Following comprehensive review of all the available data, we make the case for the circumstantial evidence being sufficiently compelling to prompt a review of practice by pediatric anesthetists and call for a precautionary approach by avoiding the use of N2 O in children receiving concurrent methotrexate.