Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2023
ReviewWhat we know and what we don't know about the perioperative use of methadone in children and adolescents.
Postoperative pain control is essential to optimizing patient outcomes, improving satisfaction, and allowing patients to resume their baseline functional activities. Methadone, a synthetic mu-opioid agonist, has multiple pharmacologic properties that may be optimal for perioperative use. Compared to other opioids, methadone has a longer duration of action, rapid onset, extended dosing intervals, high oral bioavailability, low cost, lack of active metabolites, and action on multiple receptors. ⋯ The primary aim of this educational review is to examine the pharmacologic data, published perioperative protocols, dosing considerations, and risks and benefits associated with inclusion of methadone in analgesic regimens for surgical patients. A secondary aim is to introduce opportunities for research around the perioperative use of methadone in children and adolescents. Based on our review, we would prioritize establishing optimal procedure-specific methadone protocols, determining generalizability for use in routine pediatric surgeries, and investigating methadone safety and efficacy prospectively as the primary opioid for pain management in the postanesthesia care unit or postsurgical floors.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2023
ReviewAssessing Pediatric Perioperative Affect: A Concise Review of Research and Clinically Relevant Scales.
Perioperative anxiety and distress are common in pediatric patients undergoing general anesthesia and increase the risk for immediate and long-term postoperative complications. This concise review outlines key research and clinically-relevant scales that measure pediatric perioperative affect. Strengths and weaknesses of each scale are highlighted. ⋯ Clinically-based anxiety measurement scales tend to be easier to use, however they require further testing before widespread standard utilization. The HRAD ± scale (Happy, Relaxed, Anxious, Distressed, with a yes/no answer to cooperation) may be a promising observational anxiety scale that is efficient and includes an assessment of compliance. Further studies are needed to refine a clinically-relevant anxiety assessment tool and appraise interventions that reduce perioperative distress.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2023
Randomized Controlled TrialComparison of intravenous and inhalation anesthesia on postoperative behavior changes in children undergoing ambulatory endoscopic procedures: A randomized clinical trial.
Early and delayed behavioral changes are well recognized after anesthesia. Intravenous anesthesia may prevent emergence delirium. However, it has not been evaluated as a preventive strategy for delayed postoperative behavior changes. ⋯ The incidence of postoperative behavior changes in children undergoing ambulatory endoscopic procedures was similar when comparing intravenous with inhalation anesthesia. Children who experience emergence delirium might show a greater incidence of negative postoperative behavior changes.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2023
Anesthesia and Pain Management of Pediatric Cytoreductive Surgery with Hyperthermic Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy.
Cytoreductive surgery with hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy has shown to improve survival in patients with extensive or refractory abdominal tumors of many different histologies. Postoperative pain control can be challenging as the surgical procedure is performed through a midline laparotomy incision from xiphoid to symphysis pubis, and patients are usually nothing by mouth for the first 8-10 postoperative days. ⋯ Utilizing a multimodal, opioid-sparing, total intravenous anesthetic technique in conjunction with a tunneled thoracic epidural catheter, we were able to avoid the need for postoperative mechanical ventilation and minimize both intraoperative and postoperative opioid requirements.
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Mar 2023
Ultrasound-guided supraclavicular cannulation of left brachiocephalic versus right internal jugular vein: Comparative analysis of central venous catheter-associated complications.
Central venous catheters are essential for the management of pediatric cardiac surgery patients. Recently, an ultrasound-guided access via a supraclavicular approach to the brachiocephalic vein has been described. Central venous catheters are associated with a relevant number of complications in pediatric patients. In this study, we evaluated the frequency of complications of left brachiocephalic vein access compared with right internal jugular vein standard access in children undergoing cardiac surgery. ⋯ Among children undergoing cardiac surgery, there is no significant difference between the supraclavicular approach to the left brachiocephalic vein and the right internal jugular vein regarding complications. For both approaches, a universal formula can be used to determine the correct insertion depth.