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Anesthetic-Related Neurotoxicity and Neuroimaging in Children: A Call for Conversation

Kara A Bjur1, Eric T Payne2, Michael E Nemergut3

  • 11 Division of Critical Care Medicine, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN, USA.

Journal of Child Neurology
|April 21, 2017
PubMed

Insights

Millions of children undergo anesthesia yearly, often for imaging. Concerns about anesthetic neurotoxicity in young children have led to FDA warnings, prompting a review of risks and benefits.

Area of Science:

  • Anesthesiology
  • Pediatric Neuroimaging
  • Neuroscience

Background:

  • Millions of young children require sedation or general anesthesia annually.
  • Anesthetic use is increasing for pediatric diagnostic imaging, like MRI.
  • Regulatory bodies like the FDA have issued warnings about potential anesthetic neurotoxicity in young children.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the risks associated with pediatric anesthesia.
  • To emphasize anesthetic-related neurotoxicity concerns.
  • To discuss the importance of pediatric neuroimaging and ongoing safety conversations.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of anesthetic risks in pediatric populations.
  • Analysis of neurotoxicity data for common anesthetic agents.
  • Examination of guidelines and warnings from regulatory agencies.

Main Results:

  • Anesthetic and sedative agents carry potential neurotoxic risks for developing brains.
  • The FDA has updated labeling to caution against prolonged or repeated exposure in young children.
  • Pediatric neuroimaging is a critical application for these anesthetic procedures.

Conclusions:

  • Balancing the necessity of anesthesia for diagnostics with potential neurotoxicity is crucial.
  • Further research and discussion are needed to ensure child safety during medical procedures.
  • Informed decision-making is essential for pediatric anesthesia and neuroimaging.

Keywords:
anesthesiaanestheticchildrendiagnostic imagingmagnetic resonance imagingneurodevelopmentneuroimagingneurotoxicitysedation

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