Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2017
Case ReportsPerioperative considerations in infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy.
Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy is a rare neurological disorder that is universally fatal with life expectancy under 10 years. A 10-year-old boy with infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy and severe neuromuscular scoliosis underwent posterior spinal fusion following halo traction. He was successfully extubated to bilevel positive airway pressure on postoperative day 3 and discharged home on postoperative day 11. Infantile neuroaxonal dystrophy presents several perioperative challenges including concerns for difficult intubation and respiratory dysfunction.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2017
Review Meta AnalysisThe use of methadone to facilitate opioid weaning in pediatric critical care patients: a systematic review of the literature and meta-analysis.
Continuous opioid infusion therapy is commonly utilized in the pediatric intensive care setting to treat pain and facilitate tolerance of invasive therapies. Transitioning to methadone is one common strategy for weaning from continuous opioid infusions, but in practice this transition can be challenging, and many children still experience iatrogenic withdrawal. ⋯ We did not identify sufficient evidence to recommend any particular methadone weaning strategy, or to recommend methadone over other medications or prescribed infusion weaning, for successful weaning of continuous opioid infusions in the pediatric intensive care setting.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2017
Observational StudyDermatomal spread following posterior transversus abdominis plane block in pediatric patients: our initial experience.
Several techniques for the transversus abdominis plane (TAP) block have been described. The extent of sensory changes using an ultrasound-guided posterior TAP block (pTAP) remains unclear in pediatric patients. The primary aim of this study was to report the extent of sensory changes achieved with pTAP; specifically the highest thoracic dermatome anesthetized. Secondary outcomes were pain scores (PS), opioid consumption, and complications. ⋯ In this small series of patients, we demonstrate a high technical success rate of achieving cutaneous analgesia to the abdominal wall. These results should encourage clinical studies of the efficacy of this block for abdominal surgery in pediatric patients.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2017
Safety of antifibrinolytics in cranial vault reconstructive surgery: a report from the pediatric craniofacial collaborative group.
Antifibrinolytic therapy significantly decreases blood loss and transfusion in pediatric cranial vault reconstructive surgery; however, concern regarding the side effects profile limits clinical use. ⋯ This is the first report of an incidence of postoperative seizures of 0.6% in pediatric cranial vault reconstructive surgery. There was no significant difference in postoperative seizures or seizure-like events in those patients who received the tranexamic acid or aminocaproic acid vs those that did not. This report provides evidence of the safety profile of antifibrinolytic in children having noncardiac major surgery. Caution should prevail however in using antifibrinolytic in high-risk patients. Antifibrinolytic dosage regimes should be based on pharmacokinetic data avoiding high doses.