The Tohoku journal of experimental medicine
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Tohoku J. Exp. Med. · Dec 2024
Pediatric Intravenous Anesthesia in Japan-Where are Anesthesiologists?
Most pediatric intravenous anesthesia in Japan is performed outside the operating theatre by non-anesthetists. The 2020 revision increased reimbursement for long-term intravenous anesthesia (Category 3) by anesthesiologists, but its impact on practice behavior is unknown. We analyzed the annual number of calculations for each category of intravenous anesthesia and their age distribution from the national reimbursement data for the three-year period fiscal years (FY) 2018-20 to elucidate trends in the pediatric age group. ⋯ Long-term total intravenous anesthesia by anesthesiologists is rarely performed in Japan. Improvements in reimbursement are not sufficient to enable total intravenous anesthesia by a specialized anesthesiologist. A system for safe intravenous anesthesia by non-anesthesiologists is needed.