Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jul 2024
Understanding time to peak effect of propofol as sole agent on bispectral index in children aged 2-12 years.
The pharmacodynamics of propofol in children have previously been described with the proprietary bispectral index (BIS) as an effect-site marker, and it has been suggested that the rate of onset of propofol might be age dependent, that is, a shorter time to peak effect in younger children. However, these analyses were potentially confounded by co-administered drugs, in particular opioids and benzodiazepines. Thus, the goal of this prospective study was to characterize the influence of age and weight on the onset of hypnotic effects from propofol, reflected by the time to peak of propofol effect-site concentration in the absence of additional drugs. ⋯ In children, the age and weight have an influence on time to peak effect of propofol. In the absence of opioids and benzodiazepines, time to peak effect was approximately 20% longer in children aged 8-12 years as compared to younger children. Such clinically relevant age and weight effects are an important consideration in the individualized titration of propofol dosing.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jul 2024
Current pediatric pain practice in Nigeria, South Africa, Uganda, and Zambia: A prospective survey of anesthetists.
Children in hospital experience significant pain, either inherent with their pathology, or caused by diagnostic/therapeutic procedures. Little is known about pediatric pain practices in sub-Saharan Africa. This survey aimed to gain insight into current pain management practices among specialist physician anesthetists in four sub-Saharan African countries. ⋯ This survey provides insight into pediatric pain practices in these four countries. Good availability of a variety of analgesics, positive pain prescription practices, and utilization of some non-pharmacological pain management strategies are encouraging, and suggest that achieving good pain control despite limited resources is attainable. Areas for improvement include the development of institutional guidelines, routine utilization of pain assessment tools, and access to regional anesthesia and other advanced pain management techniques.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jul 2024
Review Historical ArticleThe halothane era in pediatric anesthesia: The convergence of a cardiac depressant anesthetic with the immature myocardium of infancy.
Introduced in the late 1950s, halothane became the anesthetic of choice for inhalational induction of children for over 40 years. Halothane enjoyed a generally favorable safety record during its time, but its cardiac contractility depressant effect-well tolerated by most age groups-was profoundly heightened in neonates and infants, leading to increased incidences of hypotension and cardiac arrest. The neonatal myocardium is immature and is characterized by poor ventricular compliance, poor contractility due to fewer contractile elements, immature sympathetic innervation with decreased norepinephrine stores, and immature mechanisms for storage and exchange of calcium in the sarcoplasmic reticulum. ⋯ Halothane was associated with 66% of intraoperative drug-related cardiac arrests in children. The halothane era began to close in the late 1990s with the introduction of sevoflurane, which had a more favorable hemodynamic profile. Shortly thereafter, halothane was completely displaced from pediatric anesthesia practice in North America.