Recommendations for perioperative care of adolescents at risk for suicide

Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for the adolescent population, and as such, should be considered when adolescents have any contact with the healthcare system, including perioperative appointments. Although some surgical facilities screen patients with a history of suicide attempt or severe mental health conditions, many adolescents who have died by suicide do not have official mental health diagnoses or history of previous suicide attempt. Because of the impact surgery can have on mental health, each adolescent should be screened for suicide risk during pre-surgical consult appointments to assess suicide risk and take proper precautions, as needed. Suicide screening should be implemented as part of the focused assessment prior to surgery to more comprehensively combat the rising suicide rates of adolescents. This paper provides recommendations to direct care of adolescent surgical patients at risk for suicide.