Parental presence during anaesthesia induction for outpatient surgery of the infant

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T M Palermo1, P A Tripi, E Burgess

  • 1Division of Behavioural Pediatrics and Psychology, University Hospitals of Cleveland, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine, Cleveland, OH 44106-6038, USA.

Paediatric Anaesthesia
|September 30, 2000
PubMed

Insights

Parental presence during anesthesia induction for infant surgery did not reduce infant distress or parental anxiety. Further research is needed to identify children who may benefit from parental involvement during the perioperative period.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Perioperative Care
  • Child Psychology

Background:

  • Parental presence during anesthesia induction is a common practice aimed at reducing child and parent distress.
  • Evidence supporting the benefits of parental presence in infants undergoing outpatient surgery is limited.
  • Infant anxiety and parental stress are significant concerns in the perioperative setting.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the impact of parental presence during anesthesia induction on infant behavioral distress.
  • To assess the effects of parental presence on parental anxiety and satisfaction with the surgical experience.
  • To explore potential subgroups of infants who might benefit from parental involvement.

Main Methods:

  • A randomized controlled trial was conducted with 73 infants aged 1-12 months undergoing outpatient surgery.
  • Infant behavioral distress during anesthesia induction was the primary outcome.
  • Parental anxiety levels and satisfaction with the overall surgical experience were secondary outcomes.

Main Results:

  • Parental presence did not significantly impact infant behavioral distress during anesthesia induction.
  • Parents who were present reported similar anxiety levels and satisfaction compared to those who were absent.
  • No significant differences were observed in parental health care attitudes between the groups.

Conclusions:

  • Parental presence during anesthesia induction for outpatient surgery in infants showed no significant benefit in reducing infant distress or parental anxiety.
  • The findings suggest that the routine implementation of parental presence may not be universally beneficial for this population.
  • Future research should focus on identifying specific patient or family characteristics that predict a positive response to parental presence.

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