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Published on: June 2, 2022
Anesthesia for thoracic surgery in infants and children
Teresa M Murray-Torres1,2, Peter D Winch1,3, Aymen N Naguib1,3
1Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Nationwide Children's Hospital, Columbus, Ohio, Missouri, USA.
Insights
Anesthesiologists face challenges in pediatric thoracic surgery. This review covers preoperative assessment, one-lung ventilation (OLV), and anesthetic management for various noncardiac thoracic procedures in children.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pediatric Surgery
- Cardiopulmonary Physiology
Background:
- Pediatric thoracic surgery presents unique anesthetic challenges due to developmental variations in cardiopulmonary systems.
- Coexisting medical conditions and specific surgical procedures require tailored anesthetic approaches for pediatric patients.
Purpose of the Study:
- To provide a comprehensive overview of the perioperative anesthetic management for pediatric patients undergoing noncardiac thoracic surgery.
- To highlight key considerations for preoperative assessment, one-lung ventilation (OLV), and specific surgical interventions.
Main Methods:
- This narrative review synthesizes current literature on anesthetic management in pediatric noncardiac thoracic surgery.
- Key topics include developmental physiology, preoperative evaluation, OLV techniques, and anesthetic implications of common thoracic procedures.
Main Results:
- Safe and effective anesthetic care necessitates a deep understanding of pediatric cardiopulmonary development and surgical specifics.
- Management strategies for OLV and various procedures like bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy, thoracotomy, and thoracoscopy are discussed.
Conclusions:
- Optimizing anesthetic management for pediatric thoracic surgery requires careful preoperative assessment and tailored intraoperative strategies.
- Addressing pediatric-specific disease processes is crucial for successful outcomes in neonates, infants, and children undergoing thoracic procedures.
Abstract:
The management of infants and children presenting for thoracic surgery poses a variety of challenges for anesthesiologists. A thorough understanding of the implications of developmental changes in cardiopulmonary anatomy and physiology, associated comorbid conditions, and the proposed surgical intervention is essential in order to provide safe and effective clinical care. This narrative review discusses the perioperative anesthetic management of pediatric patients undergoing noncardiac thoracic surgery, beginning with the preoperative assessment. The considerations for the implementation and management of one-lung ventilation (OLV) will be reviewed, and as will the anesthetic implications of different surgical procedures including bronchoscopy, mediastinoscopy, thoracotomy, and thoracoscopy. We will also discuss pediatric-specific disease processes presenting in neonates, infants, and children, with an emphasis on those with unique impact on anesthetic management.
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