The perioperative care of the paediatric neurosurgical patient

The Queen's Medical Centre, University of Nottingham, is one of the largest neuro-science centres in Britain and serves a population of five million people. Its catchment area covers the counties of Nottinghamshire, Leicestershire, Derbyshire and Lincolnshire though patients are often referred from other parts of Britain and from abroad. The total number of neuro-paediatric beds is 20 plus access to 12 beds in the paediatric intensive care unit and 18 beds of the neonatal unit. In the year 1992 the total number of operations was 300, a number which increased by 25% the following year and included such operations as craniostenosis, craniotomies, spinal surgery, repair of meningocele, shunts, implanting and endoscopic and stereotactic procedures.