Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · May 2022
ReviewDeveloping an Extubation Strategy for the Difficult Paediatric Airway- Who, When, Why, Where, and How?
Comprehensive airway management of the pediatric patient with a difficult airway requires a plan for the transition back to a patent and protected airway. Multiple techniques are available to manage the periextubation period. ⋯ This includes team-focused communication of the desired goals, critical steps in the process, and potential responses in the case of failed extubation. This review summarizes extubation of pediatric patients with difficult airways along with one suggested framework to manage this challenging period.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · May 2022
ReviewThe Role of Information and Preparation for Improvement of Pediatric Perioperative Care.
The perioperative period is a significant and stressful experience that may cause negative consequences in children, both in a short-term and long-term perspective. Despite a wide base of evidence stating the importance of adequate preparation to reduce anxiety, improve coping, cooperation and enhance recovery, many children continue to report that they feel unprepared for their perioperative experience. ⋯ Interactive web-based technology can function as a significant resource for preparation of children for perioperative procedures. By changing perspective from children's need for information to their need for learning and by developing preparation programs including adequate educational principles, web-based technology can be used to its fullest advantage as a healthcare learning and preparation resource.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · May 2022
Initial results from an Enhanced Recovery Program for pediatric cardiac surgical patients.
Over recent years, a number of enhanced recovery programs have appeared in first, adult colorectal surgery, and subsequently many other adult surgical specialties. Increasing interest in this approach to perioperative management in children culminated in the recent development of the first enhanced recovery pathway for pediatric intestinal surgery, endorsed by Enhanced Recovery after Surgery Society (ERAS®). In parallel, there has been increasing interest in the refinement of perioperative management of selected pediatric cardiac surgical patients, invariably referred to as "fast track" management. Initiatives have largely focused on duration of postoperative ventilation rather than on a much wider range of perioperative interventions to optimize recovery and ensure timely discharge after surgery. In our institution, a "Level 1" pediatric cardiac surgical center, we assembled a multidisciplinary team to design a comprehensive enhanced recovery pathway, based on ERAS® methodology, for selected cardiac surgical patients. After a lengthy period of planning, staff education, and preparation, we implemented the pathway at the end of November 2019. ⋯ These preliminary results suggest that enhanced recovery pathway implementation for selected pediatric cardiac surgical patients is feasible, with acceptable outcomes. They suggest areas for further development and the potential for wider implementation.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · May 2022
Prediction of fluid responsiveness following liver compression in paediatric patients with single ventricle physiology.
The role of liver compression in predicting fluid responsiveness in children with a single ventricle has never been evaluated. The purpose of this study was to assess whether blood pressure changes during liver compression predict fluid responsiveness in children with single ventricle physiology. ⋯ Increase in blood pressure induced by liver compression is predictive of fluid responsiveness in children with single ventricle physiology.