Journal of pediatric surgery
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This is a review of 127 neonates evaluated for postoperative apnea and bradycardia (A&B) after inguinal surgery. The patients could be divided into three groups based on postconceptional age (PCA) at operation. Ten of 29 patients operated on at PCA of 33 to 39 weeks developed episodes of A&B. ⋯ In the latter two groups preoperative assessment identified all patients at high risk. We conclude that after PCA of 40 weeks patients at risk for A&B can be identified preoperatively. Patients operated on up to 39 weeks PCA should all be observed in the hospital.
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The development of apnea following general anesthesia in high-risk infants (less than 60 weeks postconceptual age) has been reported up to 37%, prompting the routine admission of these children following minor surgical procedures. One hundred forty high-risk infants (American Society of Anesthesiologists category greater than or equal to 2) were prospectively evaluated after undergoing surgical procedures normally performed as outpatients in low-risk babies. All patients had spinal anesthesia for their operations. ⋯ Length of operation in these cases ranged from 15 minutes to 95 minutes (mean, 53 minutes), with two incidents of inadequate anesthesia occurring in this cohort. Mean duration of anesthesia was 146 minutes (range, 50 to 240 minutes) and was directly dependent on dosage administration of the agents. These data indicate that the use of spinal anesthesia in high-risk infants is safe and effective for surgical procedures generally performed as outpatients (3.0% minor complication rate, 0.8% major complication rate).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Manpower limitations are occurring in residency programs because of fewer residency positions and increasing governmental regulations. This limitation prompted the development of a program to utilize pediatric nurse practitioners (PNPs) in our Department of Surgery. Two began in September 1989. ⋯ The resident responses were assessed by level of training. Among senior residents, 82% felt the PNP had decreased the workload of the junior resident and 91% viewed the PNP as a valuable resource, whereas 87% of the junior residents felt the PNP decreased their workload and 100% felt the PNP was a valuable resource. None of the residents felt the PNP interfered with their learning and 73% of the junior residents and 55% of the senior residents felt the PNP contributed to their learning.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Case Reports
Treatment of acute pulmonary failure with extracorporeal support: 100% survival in a pediatric population.
Since February 1990, five children, aged 10 days to 6.5 years, were treated with extracorporeal lung support at our hospital for acute, unrelenting pulmonary failure. Two had viral pneumonia: one with respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) bronchiolitis, and one with herpes simplex virus pneumonia, encephalitis, and disseminated intravascular coagulation. One presented with a febrile illness followed by a pulmonary hemorrhage. ⋯ Average duration of support was 330 hours (range, 89 to 840). Following completion of extracorporeal support, all children were successfully weaned from the ventilator with an average time to extubation of 23.2 days (range, 2 to 58 days). One child died of congestive heart failure following palliative surgery for a complex noncyanotic congenital cardiac lesion 35 days after successfully weaning from extracorporeal support for an acute febrile illness and pulmonary hemorrhage.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
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Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) is effective for newborns with pulmonary failure unresponsive to conventional therapy. However, ECMO for the older child and adult has been controversial and not widely utilized. Over 4 years, 24 patients (aged 4 months to 16 years; 11 boys, 13 girls) underwent venoarterial ECMO (duration, 7 to 19 days) for respiratory failure. ⋯ All patients with sternotomy, and 8 of 15 with neck and/or groin cannulation, required 1 to 5 explorations for hemorrhage while on ECMO. All survivors had primarily pulmonary failure; patients with combinations of pulmonary, cardiac, and renal failure did not survive. ECMO can be life-saving in the child with isolated pulmonary failure, but its efficacy in patients with multiorgan failure is uncertain.