Anesthesia for major general surgery in neonates with complex cardiac defects

Centers with large cardiac workloads may be presented with neonates who need major general surgery before correction or palliation of a serious cardiac defect. This is still a rare situation with only three short case reports available in the medical literature (1-3). We have reviewed the anesthetic and analgesic regimens of 18 such neonates who presented to the Birmingham Children's Hospital in the 4-year period 2004-2007. These children require meticulous preoperative evaluation and although it might be anticipated that they would pose a serious challenge to anesthetists, in reality with thorough investigation, preparation, and careful management, they tolerate general anesthesia well. These children may be transferred to centers of specialist pediatric cardiac anesthesia to be benefited from experience obtained there.