Diagnosis and management of respiratory adverse events in the operating room

Perioperative respiratory adverse events cause more than three-quarters of all perioperative critical incidents in pediatric anesthesia and approximately half of anesthesia-related cardiac arrests. We can define seven main clinical types of perioperative respiratory adverse events: upper airway obstruction, laryngospasm, bronchospasm, severe persistent cough, apnea, stridor, and oxygen desaturation. Depending on the definitions used for preoperative respiratory adverse events and the cohort of children examined, the incidence varies between 8 and 21 %. This review discusses the recognition and treatment of perioperative respiratory adverse events. Furthermore, it provides guidance on how to identify children who are at increased risk for developing perioperative respiratory adverse events and how to tailor the perioperative anesthetic management for the individual child in order to minimize the risk of perioperative respiratory adverse events

Postoperative Residual Neuromuscular Paralysis at an Australian Tertiary Children’s Hospital

Purpose. Residual neuromuscular blockade (RNMB) is known to be a significant but frequently overlooked complication after the use of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBA). Aim of this prospective audit was to investigate the incidence and severity of RNMB at our Australian tertiary pediatric center. Methods. All children receiving NMBA during anesthesia were included over a 5-week period at the end of 2011 (Mondays to Fridays; 8 a.m.–6 p.m.). At the end of surgery, directly prior to tracheal extubation, the train-of-four (TOF) ratio was assessed quantitatively. Data related to patient postoperative outcome was collected in the postoperative acute care unit. Results. Data of 64 patients were analyzed. Neostigmine was given in 34 cases and sugammadex in 1 patient. The incidence of RNMB was 28.1% overall (without reversal: 19.4%; after neostigmine: 37.5%; n.s.). Severe RNMB (TOF ratio < 0.7) was found in 6.5% after both no reversal and neostigmine, respectively. Complications in the postoperative acute care unit were infrequent, with no differences between reversal and no reversal groups. Conclusions. In this audit, RNMB was frequently observed, particularly in cases where patients were reversed with neostigmine. These findings underline the well-known problems associated with the use of NMBA that are not fully reversed

Prone equals prone? Impact of positioning techniques on respiratory function in anesthetized and paralyzed healthy children

Objectives: Although the prone position is effectively used to improve oxygenation, its impact on functional residual capacity is controversial. Different techniques of body positioning might be an important confounding factor. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of two different prone positioning techniques on functional residual capacity and ventilation distribution in anesthetized, preschool-aged children. Design: Functional residual capacity and lung clearance index, ameasure of ventilation homogeneity, were calculated using asulfur-hexafluoride multibreath washout technique. After intubation, measurements were taken in the supine position and, in random order, in the flat prone position and the augmented prone position (gel pads supporting the pelvis and the upper thorax). Setting: Pediatric anesthesia unit of university hospital. Patients and participants: Thirty preschool children without cardiopulmonary disease undergoing elective surgery. Measurements and results: Mean (range) age was 48.5 (24-80) months, weight 17.2 (10.5-26.9) kg, functional residual capacity (mean ± SD) 22.9 ± 6.2 ml.kg−1 in the supine position and 23.3 ± 5.6 ml.kg−1 in the flat prone position, while lung clearance indices were 8.1 ± 2.3 vs. 7.9 ± 2.3, respectively. In contrast, functional residual capacity increased to 27.6 ± 6.5 ml.kg−1 (p< 0.001) in the augmented prone position while at the same time the lung clearance index decreased to 6.7 ± 0.9 (p< 0.001). Conclusions: Functional residual capacity and ventilation distribution were similar in the supine and flat prone positions, while these parameters improved significantly in the augmented prone position, suggesting that the technique of prone positioning has major implications for pulmonary functio

Taste evaluation of a novel midazolam tablet for pediatric patients: In vitro drug dissolution, in vivo animal taste aversion and clinical taste perception profiles

Harmonized methodologies are urgently required for the taste evaluation of novel pediatric medicines. This study utilized in vitro, in vivo and clinical data to evaluate the palatability of a novel midazolam chocolate tablet. In vitro dissolution experiments showed the crushed tablet to release within 5 min 1.68 mg of midazolam into simulated saliva. This translated to a drug level of 0.84 mg/ml in the oral cavity, which would be higher than the midazolam bitterness detection threshold concentration of 0.03 mg/ml determined in a rat 'brief access taste aversion' (BATA) model. The visual analogue scale scores of patients aged 4-16 years prescribed with midazolam pre-surgery showed a clear preference for the midazolam chocolate tablets (3.35 ± 1.04, n = 20) compared to the control midazolam solution (1.47 ± 0.62, n = 17). The clinical data was in agreement with the in vivo rodent data in showing the novel chocolate tablet matrix to be effective at taste-masking the bitter midazolam

Airway management in neonates and infants: European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care and British Journal of Anaesthesia joint guidelines.

Airway management is required during general anaesthesia and is essential for life-threatening conditions such as cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Evidence from recent trials indicates a high incidence of critical events during airway management, especially in neonates or infants. It is important to define the optimal techniques and strategies for airway management in these groups. In this joint European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) and British Journal of Anaesthesia (BJA) guideline on airway management in neonates and infants, we present aggregated and evidence-based recommendations to assist clinicians in providing safe and effective medical care. We identified seven main areas of interest for airway management: i) preoperative assessment and preparation; ii) medications; iii) techniques and algorithms; iv) identification and treatment of difficult airways; v) confirmation of tracheal intubation; vi) tracheal extubation, and vii) human factors. Based on these areas, Population, Intervention, Comparison, Outcomes (PICO) questions were derived that guided a structured literature search. GRADE (Grading of Recommendations, Assessment, Development and Evaluation) methodology was used to formulate the recommendations based on those studies included with consideration of their methodological quality (strong '1' or weak '2' recommendation with high 'A', medium 'B' or low 'C' quality of evidence). In summary, we recommend: 1. Use medical history and physical examination to predict difficult airway management (1С). 2. Ensure adequate level of sedation or general anaesthesia during airway management (1B). 3. Administer neuromuscular blocker before tracheal intubation when spontaneous breathing is not necessary (1С). 4. Use a videolaryngoscope with an age-adapted standard blade as first choice for tracheal intubation (1B). 5. Apply apnoeic oxygenation during tracheal intubation in neonates (1B). 6. Consider a supraglottic airway for rescue oxygenation and ventilation when tracheal intubation fails (1B). 7. Limit the number of tracheal intubation attempts (1C). 8. Use a stylet to reinforce and preshape tracheal tubes when hyperangulated videolaryngoscope blades are used and when the larynx is anatomically anterior (1C). 9. Verify intubation is successful with clinical assessment and end-tidal CO2 waveform (1C). 10. Apply high-flow nasal oxygenation, continuous positive airway pressure or nasal intermittent positive pressure ventilation for postextubation respiratory support, when appropriate (1B)

Airway Management in the Paediatric Difficult Intubation Registry: A Propensity Score Matched Analysis of Outcomes Over Time

BACKGROUND: The Paediatric Difficult Intubation Collaborative identified multiple attempts and persistence with direct laryngoscopy as risk factors for complications in children with difficult tracheal intubations and subsequently engaged in initiatives to reduce repeated attempts and persistence with direct laryngoscopy in children. We hypothesised these efforts would lead to fewer attempts, fewer direct laryngoscopy attempts and decrease complications. METHODS: Paediatric patients less than 18 years of age with difficult direct laryngoscopy were enrolled in the Paediatric Difficult Intubation Registry. We define patients with difficult direct laryngoscopy as those in whom (1) an attending or consultant obtained a Cormack Lehane Grade 3 or 4 view on direct laryngoscopy, (2) limited mouth opening makes direct laryngoscopy impossible, (3) direct laryngoscopy failed in the preceding 6 months, and (4) direct laryngoscopy was deferred due to perceived risk of harm or poor chance of success. We used a 5:1 propensity score match to compare an early cohort from the initial Paediatric Difficult Intubation Registry analysis (August 6, 2012-January 31, 2015, 785 patients, 13 centres) and a current cohort from the Registry (March 4, 2017-March 31, 2023, 3925 patients, 43 centres). The primary outcome was first attempt success rate between cohorts. Success was defined as confirmed endotracheal intubation and assessed by the treating clinician. Secondary outcomes were eventual success rate, number of attempts at intubation, number of attempts with direct laryngoscopy, the incidence of persistence with direct laryngoscopy, use of supplemental oxygen, all complications, and severe complications. FINDINGS: First-attempt success rate was higher in the current cohort (42% vs 32%, OR 1.5 95% CI 1.3-1.8, p \u3c 0.001). In the current cohort, there were fewer attempts (2.2 current vs 2.7 early, regression coefficient -0.5 95% CI -0.6 to -0.4, p \u3c 0.001), fewer attempts with direct laryngoscopy (0.6 current vs 1.0 early, regression coefficient -0.4 95% CI -0.4 to 0.3, p \u3c 0.001), and reduced persistence with direct laryngoscopy beyond two attempts (7.3% current vs 14.1% early, OR 0.5 95% CI 0.4-0.6, p \u3c 0.001). Overall complication rates were similar between cohorts (19% current vs 20% early). Severe complications decreased to 1.8% in the current cohort from 3.2% in the early cohort (OR 0.55 95% CI 0.35-0.87, p = 0.011). Cardiac arrests decreased to 0.8% in the current cohort from 1.8% in the early cohort. We identified persistence with direct laryngoscopy as a potentially modifiable factor associated with severe complications. INTERPRETATION: In the current cohort, children with difficult tracheal intubations underwent fewer intubation attempts, fewer attempts with direct laryngoscopy, and had a nearly 50% reduction in severe complications. As persistence with direct laryngoscopy continues to be associated with severe complications, efforts to limit direct laryngoscopy and promote rapid transition to advanced techniques may enhance patient safety. FUNDING: None

Neurodevelopmental outcome at 5 years of age after general anaesthesia or awake-regional anaesthesia in infancy (GAS)trial

Background: In laboratory animals, exposure to most general anaesthetics leads to neurotoxicity manifested by neuronal cell death and abnormal behaviour and cognition. Some large human cohort studies have shown an association between general anaesthesia at a young age and subsequent neurodevelopmental deficits, but these studies are prone to bias. Others have found no evidence for an association. We aimed to establish whether general anaesthesia in early infancy affects neurodevelopmental outcomes. Methods: In this international, assessor-masked, equivalence, randomised, controlled trial conducted at 28 hospitals in Australia, Italy, the USA, the UK, Canada, the Netherlands, and New Zealand, we recruited infants of less than 60 weeks' postmenstrual age who were born at more than 26 weeks