Anesthesia for children with pericardial effusion: a case series

To review the anesthetic management of children requiring surgical intervention for pericardial effusion, determine the nature and frequency of complications and define risk factors that predict perioperative risk.

Anesthesia in the presence of a pericardial effusion may be associated with significant hemodynamic compromise particularly during induction. However, the literature specifically concerning children is limited to a single-case report.

A retrospective case review of children undergoing general anesthesia for surgical treatment for pericardial effusion between 1999 and 2008 at a single institution.

Sixty-five children underwent 79 general anesthetics for surgical treatment for pericardial effusion. Median age was 4 years (2 weeks-16 years), and median weight 15 kg (range, 2.5-96 kg). Fifty-five children (84%) developed effusions following cardiac surgery. The commonest induction agent was ketamine (25/65, 38%), and the majority of children (52/65, 80%) were intubated and ventilated for the procedure. Seven children (11%) suffered from eight major complications, and 14 children (22%) suffered from a minor complication. Major complications were more common in children with preoperative tachypnoea (P = 0.01) and cardiac tamponade on preoperative echocardiogram (ECHO) (P = 0.001). Preoperative hypoxia had a sensitivity of 92% and a positive likelihood ratio of 5.2 (95% CI 1.5-17.5) for predicting all complications.

Anesthesia for pericardial effusion in children was associated with an adverse physiological event in one-third of children. Major complications may be predicted by preoperative tachypnoea and cardiac tamponade on preoperative ECHO, and all complications may be predicted by preoperative hypoxia. The anesthetic technique included a variety of induction agents, and we cannot recommend a particular approach.