Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Apr 2024
Review Meta AnalysisIncidence of emergence agitation in children undergoing sevoflurane anesthesia compared to isoflurane anesthesia: An updated systematic review and meta-analysis.
Emergence agitation is a complex syndrome of altered consciousness after emergence from anesthesia. It can result in injury to patients and staff and is associated with other postoperative complications. Sevoflurane has been associated with emergence agitation, potentially due to low tissue solubility and therefore speed of emergence. Prior meta-analyses comparing emergence agitation incidence between sevoflurane and isoflurane anesthetics did not demonstrate a statistically significant difference. Given the publication of additional relevant studies not included in prior meta-analyses as well as improved diagnosis of emergence agitation, we aim to perform an updated, comprehensive meta-analysis comparing emergence agitation incidence between sevoflurane and isoflurane anesthetics in children. ⋯ The risk of emergence agitation in children after maintenance anesthesia with sevoflurane is significantly greater than with isoflurane; we did not find evidence of prolonged emergence or postanesthetic length of stay. When possible, isoflurane should be considered for maintenance anesthesia over sevoflurane in patients at high risk of emergence agitation.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Apr 2024
Review Meta AnalysisAwake caudal anesthesia in ex-premature infants undergoing lower abdominal surgery: A narrative review.
The aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the literature describing the use of caudal anesthetic-based techniques in premature and ex-premature infants undergoing lower abdominal surgery. ⋯ There is insufficient evidence to validate or refute the benefits of the use of "awake" caudal anesthesia in premature and ex-premature infants. The high doses of local anesthetics used, the high failure rate, and the increased incidence of high spinal anesthesia would suggest that the techniques offer no real advantages over awake spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia with a regional block.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2024
ReviewRegional anesthesia and sickle cell crisis in pediatric patients: An educational-focused review.
Sickle cell disease (SCD) is the most common inherited hemoglobinopathy, affecting approximately 100 000 patients in United States and millions worldwide. Although the mainstay of pain management for VOC remains systemic opioids, given the potential for adverse effects including respiratory depression and hypoxemia, there remains interest in the use of regional anesthetic techniques (neuraxial or peripheral nerve blockade). ⋯ The available literature, albeit all retrospective or anecdotal, suggests the potential utility of regional anesthesia to treat pain in patients with SCD. Additional benefits have included avoidance of the potential deleterious physiologic effects of systemic opioids and in one case series, an improvement in respiratory function as judged by pulse oximetry. The anecdotal and retrospective nature of the available reports with an absence of prospective trials limits the evidence based medicine available from which to develop to guidlines for the optimal local anesthetic agent to use, its concentration, the rate of infusion, and the choice of adjunctive agents.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · May 2024
ReviewA systematic review of neurological airway respiratory cardiovascular other-surgical severity (NARCO-SS) score as a pediatric perioperative scoring system.
To systematically identify and synthesize the available evidence of the neurological airway respiratory cardiovascular other-surgical severity (NARCO-SS) score as compared to other pediatric specific perioperative scoring systems. ⋯ This review has identified a need for high-quality studies assessing NARCO-SS before recommendations for clinical practice can be made. Addressing its limitations and enhancing the NARCO-SS through targeted refinements of its individual descriptive categories could potentially lead to improvement in its overall predictive accuracy and facilitate wider adoption into clinical practice.