Apnea after Awake Regional and General Anesthesia in Infants: The General Anesthesia Compared to Spinal Anesthesia Study--Comparing Apnea and Neurodevelopmental Outcomes, a Randomized Controlled Trial

A Single Center's Experience With Spinal Anesthesia for Pediatric Patients Undergoing Surgical Procedures

PURPOSE

To perform a single institution review of spinal instead of general anesthesia for pediatric patients undergoing surgical procedures. Spinal success rate, intraoperative complications, and postoperative outcomes including unplanned hospital admission and emergency department visits within seven days are reported.

METHODS

Retrospective chart review of pediatric patients who underwent spinal anesthesia for surgical procedures from 2016 until 2022. Data collected included patient demographics, procedure and anesthetic characteristics, intraoperative complications, unplanned admissions, and emergency department returns.

RESULTS

The study cohort included 1221 patients. Ninety-two percent of the patients tolerated their surgical procedure without requiring conversion to general anesthesia, and 78% of patients that had spinals placed successfully did not receive any sedation following lumbar puncture. The most common intraoperative event was systolic blood pressure below 60 mm Hg (14%), but no cases required administration of vasoactive agents, and no serious intraoperative adverse events were observed. Post-Anesthesia Care Unit Phase I was bypassed in 72% of cases with a median postoperative length of stay of 84 min. Forty-six patients returned to the emergency department following hospital discharge, but no returns were due to anesthetic concerns.

CONCLUSIONS

Spinal anesthesia is a viable and versatile option for a diversity of pediatric surgical procedures. We noted a low incidence of intraoperative and postoperative complications. There remain numerous potential advantages of spinal anesthesia over general anesthesia in young pediatric patients particularly in the ambulatory setting.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV.

TYPE OF STUDY

Retrospective cohort treatment study.

Comparative Study of Acute Stress in Infants Undergoing Percutaneous Achilles Tenotomy for Clubfoot vs. Peripheral Line Placement

INTRODUCTION

Percutaneous tenotomy of the Achilles tendon is a procedure that is part of the Ponseti method for clubfoot correction. The need to apply general anesthesia or sedation for this procedure is controversial. The objective of this study is to compare the acute stress generated in infants by percutaneous Achilles tenotomy under local anesthesia vs. peripheral line placement.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This cross-sectional study compares the discomfort experienced by 85 infants undergoing percutaneous Achilles tenotomy with local anesthesia with that experienced by 39 infants undergoing peripheral line placement. The following parameters were determined: the duration of the procedure, crying time, average crying intensity, and maximum crying intensity. Other data recorded included the infant's age and complications arising during the procedure.

RESULTS

The mean ages of these patients were 1.95 and 2.18 months, respectively. The following data were obtained: the mean duration of the procedure for Group A was 8.13 s and for Group B it was 127.43 s; the mean duration of crying for Group A was 84.24 s and for Group B it was 195.82 s; the mean intensity of crying for Group A was 88.99 dB and for Group B it was 100.98 dB; and the maximum crying intensity for Group A was 96.56 dB and for Group B it was 107.76 dB.

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneous Achilles tenotomy can be safely performed as an outpatient procedure, under local anesthesia. This method generates less discomfort than peripheral line placement.

Risk factors for delayed extubation after pediatric perineal anaplasty in patients less than 1 year of age: a retrospective study

BACKGROUND

Anorectal malformation is a common congenital problem occurring in 1 in 5,000 births and has a spectrum of anatomical presentations, requiring individualized surgical treatments for normal growth. Delayed extubation or reintubation may result in a longer intensive care unit (ICU) stay and hospital stay, increased mortality, prolonged duration of mechanical ventilation, increased tracheostomy rate, and higher hospital costs. Extensive studies have focused on the role of risk factors in early extubation during major infant surgery such as Cardiac surgery, neurosurgery, and liver surgery. However, no study has mentioned the influencing factors of delayed extubation in neonates and infants undergoing angioplasty surgery.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We performed a retrospective study of neonates and infants who underwent anorectal malformation surgery between June 2018 and June 2022. The principal goal of this study was to observe the incidence of delayed extubation in pediatric anorectal malformation surgery. The secondary goals were to identify the factors associated with delayed extubation in these infants.

RESULTS

We collected data describing 123 patients who had anorectal malformations from 2019 to 2022. It shows that 74(60.2%) in the normal intubation group and 49(39.8%) in the longer extubation. In the final model, anesthesia methods were independently associated with delayed extubation (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSION

We found that the anesthesia method was independently associated with early extubation in neonates and infants who accepted pediatric anorectal malformation surgery.

Second infant spinal anesthetic: Incidence, dose modification, and adverse events after initial failure

INTRODUCTION

Infant spinal anesthesia is an important technique in premature and ex-premature infants undergoing lower abdominal surgery. Previous studies of infant spinal anesthesia report high failure rates, but fail to adequately identify contributing factors. The aim of this study is to retrospectively review spinal anesthetics from a quaternary anesthetic centre to determine overall spinal failure rate, incidence of second spinal attempts and adverse events associated with a second spinal anesthetic.

METHODS

A retrospective review of infant spinal anesthetics performed between May 2016 and June 2023.

RESULTS

Five hundred and fifty-one infants (mean postmenstrual age 42.9 weeks and weight 3873 g) were included. The overall success rate on first attempt was 86.5% with a further 5.1% requiring a successful second spinal anesthetic after initial failure. Spinal anesthetic failure requiring conversion to general anesthesia occurred in 9.4% of cases The causes of failed spinal anesthetic were inability to access the subdural space (dry tap 4.2%), inadequate motor blockade (2.9%), and repeated bloody taps (2.2%). Spinal anesthetic failure was significantly increased in cases where the anesthetist was routinely performing less than 5 spinal anesthetics per year [OR 2.21 (95% CI 1.28, 3.83, p = .004)] but only weakly associated with years of pediatric anesthetic experience. Failure rates were 21.4% with styletted spinal needles and 9.2% for non styletted [OR 2.68 (95% CI 1.23-5.86, p = .012)]. The incidence of perioperative apnoea was 6.7% with the highest rate in infants in which failed spinal anesthesia required conversion to general anesthesia (25%). There were 28 cases where initial spinal anesthetic failed to produce adequate anesthesia and a repeat spinal anesthetic was performed. Repeat spinal anesthesia was successful in 92.8% of cases with awake caudal anesthesia successful in 7.2% of cases. In three cases high spinal blockade occurred, one after a single spinal and two after a repeat spinal. Both repeat spinal high block cases required intubation and brief resuscitation.

CONCLUSION

Infant spinal anesthesia is associated with high success rates if experienced anesthetists are present or performing the block. Repeat spinal anesthesia may be associated with an increased incidence of high spinal block. Greater awareness of the slow onset of high block should promote techniques aimed at minimizing cephalad spread of local anesthetic including slight head up positioning during surgery.

Awake caudal anesthesia in ex-premature infants undergoing lower abdominal surgery: A narrative review

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

The aim of this narrative review is to evaluate the literature describing the use of caudal anesthetic-based techniques in premature and ex-premature infants undergoing lower abdominal surgery.

METHODS

All available literature from inception to August 2023 was retrieved according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis guidelines from Medline, PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library. Two authors reviewed all references for eligibility, abstracted data, and appraised quality.

RESULTS

Of the 211 articles identified, 45 met our inclusion criteria yielding 1548 cases with awake caudal anesthesia. The review included 558 (36.0%) cases of awake caudal anesthesia, 837 cases (54.1%) of "awake" caudal anesthesia with sedation, and 153 cases (9.9%) of combined spinal caudal epidural anesthesia without sedation. The overall anesthetic failure rate was 7.2% (71.9:1000 caudals). Failure rates were highest for CSEA (13.7%, 7.7-18.4), intermediate for awake caudal (6.6%, 5.26-9.51), and lowest for sedated caudal anesthesia (5.85%, 4.48-7.82). The incidence (range) of perioperative apnea was highest for sedated caudal anesthesia (8.16, 0%-24%), intermediate for awake caudal (7.62%, 0%-60%), and lowest for CSEA (5.53%, 0%-14.3%). High spinal anesthesia occurred in 0.84%, or 8.35:1000 caudals overall. The incidence was highest in awake caudal anesthesia cases (1.97% or 19.7:1000 caudals), intermediate with caudal with sedation (1.07% or 10.7:1000 caudals), and lowest in CSEA (0.7% or 6.6:1000 caudals). Our review was confounded by incomplete data reporting and small sample sizes as most were case reports. There were no high-quality randomized controlled trials, and the eight single-center retrospective data reviews lacked sufficient data to perform meta-analysis.

CONCLUSIONS

There is insufficient evidence to validate or refute the benefits of the use of "awake" caudal anesthesia in premature and ex-premature infants. The high doses of local anesthetics used, the high failure rate, and the increased incidence of high spinal anesthesia would suggest that the techniques offer no real advantages over awake spinal anesthesia or general anesthesia with a regional block.

Ultrasound-guided spinal anesthesia in infants: a narrative review

BACKGROUND/IMPORTANCE

Infant spinal anesthesia has many potential benefits. However, the delivery of infant spinal anesthesia is technically challenging. The landmark-based technique has not changed for over a century. Advancements in ultrasound technology may provide an opportunity to improve infant spinal procedures.

OBJECTIVE

Our primary objective is to conduct a comprehensive review of the current literature on ultrasonography for spinal anesthesia in infants. Given the narrow scope of this topic, our secondary objective is to review the current literature on ultrasonography for lumbar puncture in infants.

EVIDENCE REVIEW

We reviewed all papers related to the use of ultrasound for infant spinal anesthesia. Two large databases were searched with key terms. Eligibility criteria were full-text articles in English. For our secondary objective, we searched one large database for key terms relating to ultrasonography and infant lumbar puncture. Eligibility criteria were the same.

FINDINGS

Our primary search retrieved six articles. These consisted of four review articles, one case report, and one retrospective observational study. Our secondary search retrieved fourteen articles. These consisted of five randomized control trials, four prospective studies, three retrospective studies, and two review papers.

CONCLUSIONS

Ultrasound yields high-quality images of the infant spine. Most literature regarding ultrasound for infant spinal procedures arises from emergency medicine or interventional radiology specialties. The literature on ultrasound for infant spinal anesthesia is extremely limited, but shows promise. Future studies are needed in order to determine whether ultrasound can improve the success rate for delivery of infant spinal anesthesia.

Age-Dependent Electroencephalogram Features in Infants Under Spinal Anesthesia Appear to Mirror Physiologic Sleep in the Developing Brain: A Prospective Observational Study

BACKGROUND

Infants under spinal anesthesia appear to be sedated despite the absence of systemic sedative medications. In this prospective observational study, we investigated the electroencephalogram (EEG) of infants under spinal anesthesia and hypothesized that we would observe EEG features similar to those seen during sleep.

METHODS

We computed the EEG power spectra and spectrograms of 34 infants undergoing infraumbilical surgeries under spinal anesthesia (median age 11.5 weeks postmenstrual age, range 38-65 weeks postmenstrual age). Spectrograms were visually scored for episodes of EEG discontinuity or spindle activity. We characterized the relationship between EEG discontinuity or spindles and gestational age, postmenstrual age, or chronological age using logistic regression analyses.

RESULTS

The predominant EEG patterns observed in infants under spinal anesthesia were slow oscillations, spindles, and EEG discontinuities. The presence of spindles, observed starting at about 49 weeks postmenstrual age, was best described by postmenstrual age ( P =.002) and was more likely with increasing postmenstrual age. The presence of EEG discontinuities, best described by gestational age ( P = .015), was more likely with decreasing gestational age. These age-related changes in the presence of spindles and EEG discontinuities in infants under spinal anesthesia generally corresponded to developmental changes in the sleep EEG.

CONCLUSIONS

This work illustrates 2 separate key age-dependent transitions in EEG dynamics during infant spinal anesthesia that may reflect the maturation of underlying brain circuits: (1) diminishing discontinuities with increasing gestational age and (2) the appearance of spindles with increasing postmenstrual age. The similarity of these age-dependent transitions under spinal anesthesia with transitions in the developing brain during physiological sleep supports a sleep-related mechanism for the apparent sedation observed during infant spinal anesthesia.

Perioperative management of infant inguinal hernia surgery; a review of the recent literature

Inguinal hernia surgery is one of the most common electively performed surgeries in infants. The common nature of inguinal hernia combined with the high-risk population involving a predominance of preterm infants makes this a particular area of interest for those concerned with their perioperative care. Despite a large volume of literature in the area of infant inguinal hernia surgery, there remains much debate amongst anesthetists, surgeons and neonatologists regarding the optimal perioperative management of these patients. The questions asked by clinicians include; when should the surgery occur, how should the surgery be performed (open or laparoscopic), how should the anesthesia be conducted, including regional versus general anesthesia and airway devices used, and what impact does anesthesia choice have on the developing brain? There is a paucity of evidence in the literature on the concerns, priorities or goals of the parents or caregivers but clearly their opinions do and should matter. In this article we review the current clinical surgical and anesthesia practice and evidence for infants undergoing inguinal hernia surgery to help clinicians answer these questions.

Free-Breathing and Single-Breath Hold Compressed Sensing Real-Time MRI of Right Ventricular Function in Children with Congenital Heart Disease

(1) Purpose: to compare right ventricular (RV) functional parameters in children with surgically repaired congenital heart disease (CHD) using single/double breath hold (BH) and free-breathing (FB) real-time compressed sensing (CS) cine cardiac magnetic resonance (cMRI) with standard retrospective segmented multi breath hold (RMB) cine cMRI. (2) Methods: Twenty patients with CHD underwent BH and FB, as well as RMB cine cMRI, at 3T to obtain a stack of continuous axial images of the RV. Two radiologists independently performed qualitative analysis of the image quality (rated on a 5-point scale; 1 = non-diagnostic to 5 = excellent) and quantitative analysis of the RV volume measurements. (3) Results: The best image quality was provided by RMB (4.5; range 2-5) compared to BH (3.9; range 3-5; p = 0.04) and FB (3.6; range 3-5; p < 0.01). The RV functional parameters were comparable among BH, FB, and RMB with a difference of less than 5%. The scan times for BH (44 ± 38 s, p < 0.01) and FB (24 ± 7 s, p < 0.01) were significantly reduced compared to for RMB (261 ± 68 s). (4) Conclusions: CS-FB and CS-BH real-time cine cMRI in children with CHD provides diagnostic image quality with excellent accuracy for measuring RV function with a significantly reduced scan time compared to RMB.

Improving Outcomes through Implementation of an Infant Spinal Anesthesia Program for Urologic Surgery Patients

Introduction

Spinal anesthesia has a long history as an effective and safe technique to avoid general anesthesia in infants undergoing surgery. However, spinal anesthesia was rarely used as the primary anesthetic in this population at our institution. This healthcare improvement initiative aimed to increase the percentage of successful spinal placements as the primary anesthetic in infants undergoing circumcision, open orchidopexy, or hernia repair from 11% to 50% by December 31, 2019, and sustain that rate for 6 months.

Methods

An interdisciplinary team created a key driver diagram and implemented the following interventions: education of nurses, surgeons, and patient families; focused anesthesiologist training on the infant spinal procedure; premedication; availability of supplies; and surgical schedule optimization. The team collected data retrospectively by reviewing electronic medical records (Cerner, North Kansas City, Mo.). The primary outcome was the percentage of infants undergoing circumcision, open orchidopexy, or hernia repair who received a successful spinal as the primary anesthetic. The team tracked this measure and evaluated using a statistical process control chart.

Results

Between August 1, 2018, and February 29, 2020, researchers identified 470 infants (235 preintervention and 235 postintervention) who underwent circumcision, open orchidopexy, or inguinal hernia repair. Following the interventions in this project, there was a statistically significant increase in successful spinal placement from 11% to 45% (P < 0.0001).

Conclusion

This quality improvement project successfully increased the percentage of patients receiving spinal anesthesia for specific surgical procedures by increasing the number of patients who underwent successful spinal anesthesia placement.

Manual Palpation versus Ultrasound to Identify the Intervertebral Space for Spinal Anesthesia in Infants

Purpose

Awake spinal anesthesia continues as an alternative to general anesthesia for infants. Standard clinical practice includes the manual palpation of surface landmarks to identify the desired intervertebral space for lumbar puncture (LP). The current study investigates the accuracy of manual palpation for identifying the intended intervertebral site for LP, using ultrasonography for confirmation and to determine the interspace where the conus medullaris ends.

Patients and Methods

After informed parental consent, patients less than one year of age undergoing spinal anesthesia for lower abdominal, urologic, or lower extremity surgical procedures were included. Patients were held in the seated position and an attending pediatric anesthesiologist or pediatric anesthesiology fellow declared the vertebral interspace intended for needle insertion, palpated surface landmarks, and placed a mark at the site. A research anesthesiologist then determined the actual vertebral interspace of the marked site and the location of the conus medullaris using ultrasonography. The time to complete both techniques (manual palpation and ultrasonography) was recorded.

Results

The study cohort included 50 infants (median age of 7 months). Sixteen vertebral interspaces (32%) were inaccurately marked. One was marked two spaces higher than intended, ten were marked one space higher than intended, and five were marked one space lower than intended. In one patient, the intended vertebral interspace for the lumbar puncture overlaid the conus medullaris. The median time required was 25 seconds (IQR 14.3, 32) for palpation and 39 seconds (IQR 29, 63.8) for ultrasonography.

Conclusion

Manual palpation of surface landmarks to determine the correct interspace for LP for spinal anesthesia in infants is inaccurate. The time required to perform spinal ultrasonography in infants for determination of the optimal site for LP is brief and may be useful in ensuring accurate identification of the correct interspace and the location of the conus medullaris.

Impact of supplemental anesthesia in preterm infants undergoing inguinal hernia repair under spinal anesthesia : A retrospective analysis

BACKGROUND

In preterm infants, spinal anesthesia (SpA) is recognized as an alternative to general anesthesia for inguinal hernia repair (IHR); however, some patients require supplemental anesthesia during surgery. The purpose of this study was to investigate the frequency and impact of supplemental anesthesia on perioperative care and adverse respiratory and hemodynamic events.

METHODS

A retrospective study of preterm infants undergoing IHR at Heidelberg University Hospital within the first year of life between 2009 and 2018 was carried out.

RESULTS

In total, 230 patients (255 surgeries) were investigated. Among 189 procedures completed using SpA 24 patients received supplemental anesthesia. Reasons for supplemental anesthesia included loss of anesthetic effect, returning motor response, and respiratory complications. Compared to SpA alone, no differences were found concerning hemodynamic parameters; however, patients requiring supplemental anesthesia displayed higher rates of postoperative oxygen supplementation and unexpected admission to the intensive care unit. The rate of perioperative apnea was 2.7%. Apneic events exclusively occurred after supplemental anesthesia. Bilateral IHR and duration of surgery were associated with the need for supplemental anesthesia.

CONCLUSION

Whereas SpA might be favorable when compared to general anesthesia for IHR, the data indicate that particular caution is required in patients receiving supplemental anesthesia due to the possible risk for adverse respiratory events.

Quantification of Procedure Time and Infant Distress Produced (as Crying) When Percutaneous Achilles Tenotomy Is Performed under Topical Local Anaesthesia: A Preliminary Study

INTRODUCTION

Percutaneous tenotomy of the Achilles tendon is part of the clubfoot management procedure known as the Ponseti method and is necessary for most infants requiring this treatment. However, the need to apply general anaesthesia or sedation during this procedure remains controversial. To our knowledge, no previous studies have been conducted to quantify infant distress, expressed as crying, when tenotomy is performed under local anaesthesia.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This clinical, prospective, cross-sectional, and observational study was composed of infants subjected to percutaneous Achilles tenotomy with local anaesthesia at an outpatient clinic. The degree of distress was measured using two smartphone apps (voice recorder and timer) in two iPhones, with each apparatus placed one meter from the baby. The following parameters were determined: procedure duration, crying duration, average crying intensity and maximum crying intensity. In addition, the following data were obtained: age, complications (if any) and the caregiver's satisfaction with the process.

RESULTS

Among the 85 infants submitted to percutaneous tenotomy, the mean age was 1.95 (+/-1.632) months (ranging from 0 to 7 months), the mean duration of the procedure was 8.134 (+/-5.97) seconds, (range 2.1 to 33.5 s), the infants' mean crying intensity was 88.99 dB and the maximum crying intensity was 96.56 dB. No vascular or anaesthetic-related complications were recorded. 96% of the caregivers were absolutely satisfied with the process.

CONCLUSIONS

Percutaneous Achilles tenotomy performed under local anaesthesia can safely be performed at the outpatient clinic. The procedure is fast and the crying time and intensity (mean values: 84 s and 89 dB, respectively) are minimal and tolerable. Knowledge of these parameters provides more accurate knowledge about the procedure. The caregivers consulted were absolutely satisfied with the tenotomy performed under local anaesthesia. In future studies, these parameters can be used for comparison with related surgical approaches.

Ambulatory spinal anesthesia in infants ≤ six months of age: A retrospective review of outcomes and safety

PURPOSE

To review experience with outpatient spinal anesthesia (SA) from a single center in infants ≤6 months of age.

METHODS

Retrospective review of all SAs performed in the ambulatory setting in the outpatient surgery centers in infants ≤6 months of age from 2016 to 2020, focusing on success rate, adverse events, post-anesthesia care unit (PACU) times, and emergency department (ED) or urgent care (UC) returns within 7 days of the operation.

RESULTS

The study cohort included 175 SAs performed on 173 patients ≤6 months of age. One hundred and sixty-two patients (93%) were able to undergo their respective surgical procedures under SA without conversion to general anesthesia. One hundred and thirty-six patients (78%) did not require additional sedation or analgesic agents. The median time from entering the operating room until the start of surgical procedure was 17 min. One hundred and twenty-six patients (72%) were able to bypass Phase I of the PACU. One hundred and forty-seven patients (86%) were discharged in less than two hours postoperatively. Only one complication related to SA was noted. This was a patient who returned on postoperative day 2 with a possible CSF leak noted by ultrasound. After overnight hospital floor admission, he was discharged the next day after receiving intravenous fluids without further sequelae.

CONCLUSIONS

SA is a viable option for anesthetic care in infants ≤6 months of age presenting for outpatient surgery. Advantages included the ability to bypass PACU Phase I and facilitation of hospital discharge.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

IV. Retrospective cohort treatment study.

After nectarine: how should we provide anesthesia for neonates?

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Neonates have a high risk of perioperative morbidity and mortality. The NEonate and Children audiT of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe (NECTARINE) investigated the anesthesia practice, complications and perioperative morbidity and mortality in neonates and infants <60 weeks post menstrual age requiring anesthesia across 165 European hospitals. The goal of this review is to highlight recent publications in the context of the NECTARINE findings and subsequent changes in clinical practice.

RECENT FINDINGS

A perioperative triad of hypoxia, anemia, and hypotension is associated with an increased overall mortality at 30 days. Hypoxia is frequent at induction and during maintenance of anesthesia and is commonly addressed once oxygen saturation fall below 85%.Blood transfusion practices vary widely variable among anesthesiologists and blood pressure is only a poor surrogate of tissue perfusion. Newer technologies, whereas acknowledging important limitations, may represent the currently best tools available to monitor tissue perfusion. Harmonization of pediatric anesthesia education and training, development of evidence-based practice guidelines, and provision of centralized care appear to be paramount as well as pediatric center referrals and international data collection networks.

SUMMARY

The NECTARINE provided new insights into European neonatal anesthesia practice and subsequent morbidity and mortality.Maintenance of physiological homeostasis, optimization of oxygen delivery by avoiding the triad of hypotension, hypoxia, and anemia are the main factors to reduce morbidity and mortality. Underlying and preexisting conditions such as prematurity, congenital abnormalities carry high risk of morbidity and mortality and require specialist care in pediatric referral centers.

Surgical Management of Pediatric Inguinal Hernia: A Systematic Review and Guideline from the European Pediatric Surgeons' Association Evidence and Guideline Committee

INTRODUCTION

 Inguinal hernia repair represents the most common operation in childhood; however, consensus about the optimal management is lacking. Hence, recommendations for clinical practice are needed. This study assesses the available evidence and compiles recommendations on pediatric inguinal hernia.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

 The European Pediatric Surgeons' Association Evidence and Guideline Committee addressed six questions on pediatric inguinal hernia repair with the following topics: (1) open versus laparoscopic repair, (2) extraperitoneal versus transperitoneal repair, (3) contralateral exploration, (4) surgical timing, (5) anesthesia technique in preterm infants, and (6) operation urgency in girls with irreducible ovarian hernia. Systematic literature searches were performed using PubMed, MEDLINE, Embase (Ovid), and The Cochrane Library. Reviews and meta-analyses were conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analysis (PRISMA) statement.

RESULTS

 Seventy-two out of 5,173 articles were included, 27 in the meta-analyses. Laparoscopic repair shortens bilateral operation time compared with open repair. In preterm infants, hernia repair after neonatal intensive care unit (NICU)/hospital discharge is associated with less respiratory difficulties and recurrences, regional anesthesia is associated with a decrease of postoperative apnea and pain. The review regarding operation urgency for irreducible ovarian hernia gained insufficient evidence of low quality.

CONCLUSION

 Laparoscopic repair may be beneficial for children with bilateral hernia and preterm infants may benefit using regional anesthesia and postponing surgery. However, no definite superiority was found and available evidence was of moderate-to-low quality. Evidence for other topics was less conclusive. For the optimal management of inguinal hernia repair, a tailored approach is recommended taking into account the local facilities, resources, and expertise of the medical team involved.

Postoperative apnea after pyloromyotomy for infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis

Objective

Infantile hypertrophic pyloric stenosis (IHPS), which causes gastric outlet obstruction and hypochloremic hypokalemic metabolic alkalosis, could pose a risk of postoperative apnea in patients. The aim of this study is to evaluate the incidence of postoperative apnea in babies admitted to a tertiary-level pediatric surgical center in Milano, Italy with diagnosis of IHPS in 2010–2019. The secondary objective is to evaluate the risk factors for postoperative apnea.

Methods

This is a single-center, retrospective, observational cohort study. All patients admitted to our institution with diagnosis of IHPS during the study period were enrolled. Demographic and surgical variables, along with blood gas parameters, were obtained from the population. Postoperative apnea was defined as a respiratory pause longer than 15 s or a respiratory pause lasting less than 15 s, but associated with either bradycardia (heart rate <120 per minute), desaturation (SatO2 <90%), cyanosis, or hypotonia. Occurrence was obtained from nursing charts and was recorded as a no/yes dichotomous variable.

Results

Of 122 patients, 12 (9.84%) experienced apnea and 110 (90.16%) did not. Using univariate analysis, we found that only postoperative hemoglobin was significantly different between the groups (p=0.03). No significant multivariable model was better than this univariate model for prediction of apnea.

Conclusions

Postoperative anemia, possibly due to hemodilution, increased the risk of postoperative apnea. It could be hypothesized that anemia can be added as another apnea-contributing factor in a population at risk due to metabolic changes.

Pediatric spinal anesthesia at a tertiary care hospital: Eleven years after

BACKGROUND

Pediatric spinal anesthesia is an old technique whose use is not widespread, in spite of reducing the risk of cardiorespiratory events (hypoxemia, bradycardia, and hypotension) associated with general anesthesia, especially in neonates and infants. This retrospective cohort study aimed to assess the safety and effectiveness of the pediatric spinal anesthesia program at our tertiary care hospital over 11 years.

METHODS

Two hundred children, between 8 days and 13 years of age, who underwent lower body surgery under spinal anesthesia from May 2010 to July 2021 were included. Demographic and procedural data were collected, and success, failure, and complication rates calculated.

RESULTS

The success rate was 97.5% (n = 195). The incidence of complications was 2% (n = 4). They were 2 cases of intraoperative hypoxemia and 2 cases of postoperative postdural puncture headache , and they quickly resolved with no sequelae.

CONCLUSION

Pediatric spinal anesthesia is a safe and effective technique with good acceptance among anesthesiologists. Thus, the implementation of a pediatric spinal anesthesia program at a tertiary care hospital is feasible and affordable.

Ultrasound-guided caudal blockade and sedation for paediatric surgery: a retrospective cohort study

Data on safety and success rates of ultrasound‐guided caudal blockade, performed on sedated children with an uninstrumented airway, are scarce. We performed a retrospective observational study of validated data from April 2014 to December 2020 in a paediatric cohort where the initial plan for anaesthetic management was sedation and caudal epidural without general anaesthesia or airway instrumentation. We examined success rates of this approach and rates of block failure and block‐related complications. In total, 2547 patients ≤ 15 years of chronological age met inclusion criteria. Among the 2547 cases, including 453 (17.8%) former preterm patients, caudal‐plus‐sedation success rate was 95.1%. The primary anaesthesia plan was abandoned for general anaesthesia in 124 cases. Pain‐related block failure in 83 (3.2%) was the most common cause for conversion. Complications included 39 respiratory events and 9 accidental spinal anaesthetics. Higher odds of pain‐related block failure were associated with higher body weight (adjusted OR 1.063, 95%CI 1.035–1.092, p < 0.001) as well as with mid‐abdominal surgery (e.g. umbilical hernia repair) (adjusted OR 15.11, 95%CI 7.69–29.7, p < 0.001), whereas extreme (< 28 weeks) former prematurity, regardless of chronological age, was associated with higher odds (adjusted OR 3.62, 95%CI 1.38–9.5, p = 0.009) for respiratory problems. Ultrasound‐guided caudal epidural, performed under sedation with an uninstrumented airway, is an effective technique in the daily clinical routine. Higher body weight and mid‐abdominal surgical procedures are risk factors for pain‐related block failure. Patients who, regardless of chronological age, had been born as extreme preterm babies are at the highest risk for respiratory events.

Developmental respiratory physiology

Various developmental aspects of respiratory physiology put infants and young children at an increased risk of respiratory failure, which is associated with a higher rate of critical incidents during anesthesia. The immaturity of control of breathing in infants is reflected by prolonged central apneas and periodic breathing, and an increased risk of apneas after anesthesia. The physiology of the pediatric upper and lower airways is characterized by a higher flow resistance and airway collapsibility. The increased chest wall compliance and reduced gas exchange surface of the lungs reduce the pulmonary oxygen reserve vis-à-vis a higher metabolic oxygen demand, which causes more rapid oxygen desaturation when ventilation is compromised. This review describes the various developmental aspects of respiratory physiology and summarizes anesthetic implications.

Prematurity is a critical risk factor for respiratory failure after early inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to determine the earliest timing of inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia with minimized risk for respiratory complications during postoperative course.

METHODS

We performed a monocentric analysis of patient records of premature and full-term infants undergoing inguinal hernia repair between 2009 and 2016. In addition to demographic and medical parameters, preexisting conditions and the perioperative course were recorded.

RESULTS

The study included 499 infants (preterm n = 285; full term n = 214). The number of subsequently ventilated patients was particularly high among preterm infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia, up to 45.3% (p < 0.001). Less than 10% of subsequent ventilation occurred in preterm infants after 45 weeks of postmenstrual age at the time of surgery or in patients with a body weight of more than 4,100 g. Preterm infants with a bronchopulmonary dysplasia had an increased risk of apneas (p < 0.05). Only 10% of the preterm babies with postoperative apneas weighed more than 3,600 g at the time of surgery or were older than 44 weeks of postmenstrual age.

CONCLUSION

Our data indicate that after the 45th week of postmenstrual age and a weight above 4,100 g, the risk for respiratory failure after general anesthesia seems to be significantly decreased in preterm infants.

Blood pressure and flow in pediatric anesthesia: An educational review

During recent years, a lot of interest has been focused on blood pressure in the context of pediatric anesthesia, trying to define what is normal in relation to age and what numeric values that should be regarded as hypotension, needing active intervention. However, blood pressure is mainly measured as a proxy for flow, that is, cardiac output. Thus, just focusing on specific blood pressure numbers may not necessarily be very useful or appropriate. The aim of this educational review is to put the issue of intraoperative blood pressure in the context of pediatric anesthesia in further perspective.

A prospective observational study on the feasibility of subumbilical laparoscopic procedures under epidural anesthesia in sedated spontaneously breathing infants with a natural airway

BACKGROUND

Laparoscopic procedures are usually performed under general anesthesia with a secured airway including endotracheal intubation or supraglottic airways.

AIMS

This is a prospective study of the feasibility of subumbilical laparoscopic procedures under epidural anesthesia in sedated, spontaneous breathing infants with a natural airway.

METHODS

We consecutively enrolled 20 children <3 years old with nonpalpable testes scheduled for diagnostic laparoscopy with or without an ensuing orchidopexy, inguinal revision, or Fowler-Stephens maneuver. Inhalational induction for venous access was followed by sedation with propofol and ultrasound-guided single-shot epidural anesthesia via the caudal or thoracolumbar approach using 1.0 or 0.5 ml kg^-1 ropivacaine 0.38%, respectively. The primary outcome measure was block success, defined as no increase in heart rate by >15% or other indicators of pain upon skin incision.

RESULTS

Of the 20 children (median age: 10 months; IQR: 8.3-12), 17 (85%) were anesthetized through a caudal and 3 (15%) through a direct thoracolumbar epidural, 18 (90%) underwent a surgical procedure and 2 (10%) diagnostic laparoscopy only. Five patients (25%) received block augmentation using an intravenous bolus of fentanyl (median dose: 0.9 µg kg^-1 ; IQR: 0.8-0.95) after the initial prick test and before skin incision. There was no additional need for systemic pain therapy in the operating theater or recovery room. No events of respiratory failure or aspiration were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

In experienced hands, given our success rate of 100%, epidural anesthesia performed in sedated spontaneously breathing infants with a natural airway can be an alternative strategy for subumbilical laparoscopic procedures.

Contralateral surgical exploration during inguinal hernia repair in infants (HERNIIA trial): study protocol for a multi-centre, randomised controlled trial

BACKGROUND

The incidence of metachronous contralateral inguinal hernia (MCIH) is high in infants with an inguinal hernia (5-30%), with the highest risk in infants aged 6 months or younger. MCIH is associated with the risk of incarceration and necessitates a second operation. This might be avoided by contralateral exploration during primary surgery. However, contralateral exploration may be unnecessary, leads to additional operating time and costs and may result in additional complications of surgery and anaesthesia. Thus, there is no consensus whether contralateral exploration should be performed routinely.

METHODS

The Hernia-Exploration-oR-Not-In-Infants-Analysis (HERNIIA) study is a multicentre randomised controlled trial with an economic evaluation alongside to study the (cost-)effectiveness of contralateral exploration during unilateral hernia repair. Infants aged 6 months or younger who need to undergo primary unilateral hernia repair will be randomised to contralateral exploration or no contralateral exploration (n = 378 patients). Primary endpoint is the proportion of infants that need to undergo a second operation related to inguinal hernia within 1 year after primary repair. Secondary endpoints include (a) total duration of operation(s) (including anaesthesia time) and hospital admission(s); (b) complications of anaesthesia and surgery; and (c) participants' health-related quality of life and distress and anxiety of their families, all assessed within 1 year after primary hernia repair. Statistical testing will be performed two-sided with α = .05 and according to the intention-to-treat principle. Logistic regression analysis will be performed adjusted for centre and possible confounders. The economic evaluation will be performed from a societal perspective and all relevant costs will be measured, valued and analysed.

DISCUSSION

This study evaluates the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of contralateral surgical exploration during unilateral inguinal hernia repair in children younger than 6 months with a unilateral inguinal hernia.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03623893 . Registered on August 9, 2018 Netherlands Trial Register NL7194. Registered on July 24, 2018 Central Committee on Research Involving Human Subjects (CCMO) NL59817.029.18. Registered on July 3, 2018.

Comparison of laryngeal mask airway and endotracheal tube in preterm neonates receiving general anesthesia for inguinal hernia surgery: a retrospective study

Background

Preterm neonates are at higher risk of developing inguinal hernia, and have an increased risk of perioperative adverse events. Laryngeal mask airway (LMA) is claimed to be associated to decreasing perioperative respiratory complications compared to endotracheal tube (ETT) in infants under one year of age receiving minor surgery; thus, we conducted a retrospective survey in former preterm neonates below 5000 g to compare the respiratory complications between LMA and ETT in general anesthesia for inguinal hernia surgeries.

Methods

The inclusion criteria were: gestational age at birth under 37 weeks, body weight at surgery below 5000 g, and receiving scheduled inguinal hernia repair under general anesthesia with LMA or ETT. Infants who were dependent on mechanical ventilation preoperatively were excluded. The postoperative respiratory complications including delayed extubation, re-intubation, and apnea within postoperative 24 h were compared between groups.

Results

From July 2014 to December 2017, 72 neonates were enrolled into final analysis. There were 57 neonates managed with LMA, and only 15 neonates intubated with ETT during the study period. The gestational age at birth and post-menstrual age at surgery showed no significant difference between groups, although in the ETT group, the body weight at birth and at surgery were lower, and more infants had history of severe respiratory distress syndrome and had received oxygen therapy within two weeks prior to surgery. Surprisingly, none one of the infants developed delayed extubation, re-intubation, or postoperative apnea in the LMA group. In the ETT group, 40 percent of the neonates could not be successfully extubated in the operation theater.

Conclusion

In preterm neonates, even in those younger than 52 weeks post-menstrual age who undergoing inguinal hernia repair in their early infancy, LMA appears feasible and safe as the airway device during general anesthesia in specific patient group. However, anesthesiologist might prefer ETT rather than LMA in some complex situation. In neonates with lower body weight at birth and at surgery, and with a history of severe RDS and oxygen-dependence, further prospective study is required.

Recovery Characteristics in Neonates Following General Anesthesia: A Retrospective Chart Review

Introduction

Preterm babies increasingly survive the neonatal period as a result of advanced care practices. Accordingly, anesthesiologists are likely to encounter these patients with greater frequency. Ex-premature infants and term neonates are known to have an increased risk of post-operative apneas following surgery and anaesthesia.

Methods

Following approval from the Institutional Review Board, we performed a retrospective chart review of neonates 0-28 days of age who underwent general anaesthesia procedures over two years. Data collected included age days, sex, weight, gestational age, American Society of Anaesthesiologists (ASA) physical status, type of anaesthetic (general/regional/spinal), airway management, surgical procedure, intraoperative adverse events, duration of anaesthesia, medications administered, post-operative recovery location, the occurrence of apneic events, medical co-morbidities, duration of post anaesthesia care unit (PACU) admission, a requirement for neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) admission, and duration of hospital admission.

Results

A total of 239 charts were reviewed from January 1, 2015, to December 31, 2016. Ninety-five cases were excluded for required postoperative mechanical ventilation. For the remaining 144 cases, the mean age was 12.8 days, 65% male, 35% female, mean gestational age 38.6 weeks, mean post-menstrual age 40.5 weeks, mean ASA status 3.5, and mean weight 3.46 kg. Post-operative apnea was observed in two neonates (1.4%).

Risk factors for postoperative apnea included lower gestational age at birth (median 37.5 vs. 39.1 weeks, p=0.26), lower post-menstrual age (median 38.5 vs. 41.0 weeks, p=0.18), and lower weight (median 2.8 vs. 3.5kg, p=0.27), respectively. ASA classification, preoperative anaemia, and known pathology were all significant risk factors for apnea (p<0.05). Significant factors from the bivariate analysis were preoperative anaemia, known pathology, age, duration of anaesthesia, weight, intraoperative fentanyl, and amount of neuromuscular blocker. Age and preoperative anaemia were significant predictors for recovery location. The odds of going to PACU vs NICU/PICU for post-operative recovery were 7.4 times greater for every two weeks greater age (95% CI=(2.80-19.31), p<0.001). 

Conclusion

This study corroborates previous findings of predictive risk factors for post-anaesthesia apnea in preterm and term neonates. Previously reported risk factors, including low gestational/post-menstrual age, lower weight, and intraoperative narcotic use, were likely contributors to one of the apneic events in our study. A larger sample size is warranted to confirm a valid predictive model. Standardized universal guidelines would be useful in eliminating local variation in PACU monitoring and discharge criteria in this vulnerable age group.

Spinal Anesthesia is Superior to General Anesthesia for Percutaneous Achilles Tenotomy in Infants

BACKGROUND

Concern about the effects of inhaled, halogenated anesthetics on neurodevelopment of infants has renewed interest in regional anesthesia as an alternative to general anesthesia (GA). Infants undergoing percutaneous Achilles tenotomy (PAT) are well suited for spinal anesthesia (SP).

METHODS

Thirty infants (mean age: 2.3 mo) undergoing PAT with SP were compared with 15 infants (mean age: 2.0 mo) undergoing PAT with GA. Data collected included perioperative times, heart rate and blood pressure, and the administration of opioids.

RESULTS

Ten of 15 GA (67%) patients received perioperative opioids as opposed to 1 of 30 SP patients (3.3%) (P<0.0001). The time from the start of anesthesia to the start of surgery was shorter in the SP group (8.5 vs. 14 min, P<0.0009). The time from the start of anesthesia to first oral intake was shorter in the SP group (12 vs. 31 min, P<0.0033). The time of first phase recovery (phase 1 post anesthesia care unit) was shorter in the SP group (15.5 vs. 34 min, P<0.0026). Surgery time was not significantly different between the groups (SP: 15.5 min, GA: 15 min, P=0.81).

CONCLUSION

Infants undergoing PAT with SP received less opioid, did not require an airway device, did not receive potent inhaled, halogenated hydrocarbon anesthetics, and exhibited faster and qualitatively better postoperative recovery.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level III-case control study.

Feasibility, safety and outcome of inguinal hernia repair under spinal versus general anesthesia in preterm and term infants

BACKGROUND

Inguinal hernia repair (IHR) is a common operation in preterm and term infants. Recently, spinal anesthesia (SA) has been proposed as an alternative to avoid exposure to general anesthesia (GA) during early life. The aim of this study was to compare surgical outcomes of open IHR performed under SA versus GA in neonates and infants, and to detect criteria to predict the success or failure of SA.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a 6-year, single center, nonrandomized interventional study (2013-2019). SA was performed with 0.5% bupivacaine. GA was given using propofol, fentanyl, sevoflurane, and laryngeal mask. Patient demographics, operative time, intraoperative events related to surgery or anesthesia, and complications were analyzed at short and long-term follow-up.

RESULTS

68 infants (78 IHR) and 37 infants (44 IHR) received SA and GA at the discretion of the anesthesiologist, respectively. SA failure rate was 9%, and positively correlated with weight at surgery (p = 0.001; r_p = 0.38). Conversion from SA to GA occurred in 4 (6%) patients owing to prolonged operative time (43.75 ± 4.8 vs 23.02 ± 11.3 min; p = 0.0006). There were no differences regarding operative time and intra- and postoperative complications among the two groups at mean follow-up of 18.53 ± 21.9 months.

CONCLUSIONS

This pilot study confirms that SA is safe, effective and not detrimental to surgical outcome of neonates and infants undergoing IHR. Additionally, it may help further define what patients may have a successful SA. Our experience suggests that SA is especially suitable in infants weighing <4000 g, and conversion to GA correlates with prolonged operative time.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level II.

Safety challenges related to the use of sedation and general anesthesia in pediatric patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging examinations

The use of sedation and general anesthesia has facilitated the significant growth of MRI use among children over the last years. While sedation and general anesthesia are considered to be relatively safe, their use poses potential risks in the short term and in the long term. This manuscript reviews the reasons why MRI examinations require sedation and general anesthesia more commonly in the pediatric population, summarizes the safety profile of sedation and general anesthesia, and discusses an amalgam of strategies that can be implemented and can ultimately lead to the optimization of sedation and general anesthesia care within pediatric radiology departments.

Implementation of a spinal anesthesia and sedation protocol that reliably prolongs infant spinal anesthesia: Case series of 102 infants who received spinal anesthesia for urologic surgery

BACKGROUND

The use of spinal anesthesia in infants is seeing resurgence as an alternative to general anesthesia.

AIMS

Our primary aims are to describe our institution's experience introducing a spinal anesthesia and sedation protocol for infants undergoing urologic surgery, to describe methods of improving prolonged anesthesia, and to describe the failure rate of spinal anesthesia in these patients. Sedation was provided for some infants with intranasal dexmedetomidine ± fentanyl.

METHODS

This is a retrospective case series examining infants aged 1-<14 months who received spinal anesthesia for circumcision, orchiopexy, orchiectomy, hypospadias repair, or epispadias repair. The electronic medical record was reviewed and compared with unmatched historical controls who received general anesthesia.

RESULTS

A total of 230 patients underwent a urologic procedure; 102 patients received spinal anesthesia and 128 received general anesthesia. Length of surgical time with spinal anesthesia ranged from 4 to 189 minutes. The hospital length of stay was shorter in the spinal anesthesia group (median [IQR] of 5.3 hours [4.3, 7.2]) compared to the general anesthesia group (17.1 hours [15.6, 17.5]).The median bupivacaine dose was 0.75 mg/kg [0.67, 0.85]. There was one case in which cerebral spinal fluid was unable to be obtained, and one case that required conversion to general anesthesia after surgery had started. There were no cases of apnea, bleeding, infection, or neurologic compromise.

CONCLUSIONS

We describe the successful implementation of an infant spinal anesthesia and sedation protocol and a technique that uniquely provides prolonged surgical anesthesia with a low failure rate. We also report shorter anesthesia time, surgical time, and recovery room length of stay in patients who received spinal anesthesia compared to general anesthesia.

The evolution of pediatric sedation and anesthesia patient safety: An interview with Dr Charles J. "Charlie" Coté

The career of Dr Charles J. Coté covered a period of major advances in pediatric anesthesia patient safety. Dr Coté (1946 --), Professor Emeritus in Anaesthesia at Harvard Medical School, helped develop pediatric sedation guidelines, conducted influential clinical research, edited a major textbook, and promoted pediatric anesthesia training fellowships in low- and middle-income countries. Based on a series of interviews with Dr Coté, this article reviews the career of this Robert M. Smith Award winner through the lens of improvements in pediatric sedation and anesthesia patient safety.

[Different anesthesia management in preterm infants undergoing surgeries for retinopathy of prematurity: A retrospective study]

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the effect of different anesthesia management on clinical outcomes in former prematurely born infants undergoing surgeries for retinopathy of prematurity (ROP).

METHODS

In this retrospective study, electronic medical record database was searched for all former prematurely born infants (gestational age < 37 weeks and post conceptual age < 60 weeks) who received ROP surgery under inhalational general anesthesia between November 2016 and October 2018. The patients were divided into two groups based on anesthesia management: laryngeal mask airway (LMA) insertion without intravenous muscle relaxant injection and with pressure support ventilation (LMA group) or airway secured with endotracheal tube (ETT) with intravenous muscle relaxant injection and pressure controlled ventilation (ETT group). Primary outcomes included perioperative adverse events and complications. Extubation time and length of stay after surgery were also recorded.

RESULTS

Sixty eight preterm infants in the LMA group and 100 preterm infants in the ETT group were included. The incidence of adverse events during surgery (including airway management change and desaturation) was similar in LMA group and ETT group (4.4% vs. 1.0%, P =0.364). During the early recovery period after surgery, the incidence of difficult extubation (extubation time >30 min) was significantly lower in LMA group compared with ETT group (4.4% vs.15.0%, RR=0.262, 95%CI:0.073－0.942, P=0.029). The incidence of respiratory events was similar between the two groups (20.6% vs. 27.0%, P =0.342). However, the incidence of apnea was significantly lower in the LMA group than in the ETT group (5.9% vs.19.0%, RR=0.266, 95%CI: 0.086－0.822, P =0.015). No significant difference was observed between the LMA group and ETT group in incidences of cardiovascular events (0% vs. 1.0%, P =1.000) and unplanned admission to neonatal intensive care unit (5.9% vs. 7.0%, P=0.774). No airway spasm, re-intubation, aspiration or regurgitation was observed during early recovery. During late recovery after returning to ward, the incidence of adverse events was also similar between the two groups (0% vs. 2.0%, P =0.241). The median (IQR) extubation time was 6 (5, 10) min in LMA group and 10 (6, 19) min in ETT group (P < 0.001). The median length of stay after surgery was significantly shortened in LMA group compared with ETT group [20 (17, 22) hours vs. 22 (17, 68) hours, P =0.002].

CONCLUSION

Compared with endotracheal intubation with intravenous muscle relaxant injection, laryngeal mask airway insertion without muscle relaxant could achieve an early extubation, and reduce the incidence of apnea during early recovery period in former prematurely born infants undergoing ROP surgery.

Automatic unsupervised respiratory analysis of infant respiratory inductance plethysmography signals

Infants are at risk for potentially life-threatening postoperative apnea (POA). We developed an Automated Unsupervised Respiratory Event Analysis (AUREA) to classify breathing patterns obtained with dual belt respiratory inductance plethysmography and a reference using Expectation Maximization (EM). This work describes AUREA and evaluates its performance. AUREA computes six metrics and inputs them into a series of four binary k-means classifiers. Breathing patterns were characterized by normalized variance, nonperiodic power, instantaneous frequency and phase. Signals were classified sample by sample into one of 5 patterns: pause (PAU), movement (MVT), synchronous (SYB) and asynchronous (ASB) breathing, and unknown (UNK). MVT and UNK were combined as UNKNOWN. Twenty-one preprocessed records obtained from infants at risk for POA were analyzed. Performance was evaluated with a confusion matrix, overall accuracy, and pattern specific precision, recall, and F-score. Segments of identical patterns were evaluated for fragmentation and pattern matching with the EM reference. PAU exhibited very low normalized variance. MVT had high normalized nonperiodic power and low frequency. SYB and ASB had a median frequency of respectively, 0.76Hz and 0.71Hz, and a mode for phase of 4^o and 100^o. Overall accuracy was 0.80. AUREA confused patterns most often with UNKNOWN (25.5%). The pattern specific F-score was highest for SYB (0.88) and lowest for PAU (0.60). PAU had high precision (0.78) and low recall (0.49). Fragmentation was evident in pattern events <2s. In 75% of the EM pattern events >2s, 50% of the samples classified by AUREA had identical patterns. Frequency and phase for SYB and ASB were consistent with published values for synchronous and asynchronous breathing in infants. The low normalized variance in PAU, was consistent with published scoring rules for pediatric apnea. These findings support the use of AUREA to classify breathing patterns and warrant a future evaluation of clinically relevant respiratory events.

Development: Epidemiology and management of postoperative apnoea in premature and term newborns

Postoperative apnoea (PA) is defined as a respiratory pause of more than 15seconds or as a respiratory pause associated with bradycardia < 120/min, desaturation (Sat02<90%), cyanosis or hypotonia. This is a relatively frequent phenomenon that affects 10% of infants under 60 weeks of post-conceptual age, born prematurely or not, and occurs during the first 12-48h postoperatively. The population exposed to PA is heterogeneous and it is necessary to standardise the management both during the intra- and postoperative period, and to adapt this management according to the risk factors for PA and the status as prematurely born infants or not, based on recent data from the literature.

Caudal and Intravenous Anesthesia Without Airway Instrumentation for Laparoscopic Inguinal Hernia Repair in Infants: A Case Series

We report a series of 20 neonates and infants (18 born preterm) who underwent laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair with caudal anesthesia, oxygen via nasal cannula, and intravenous anesthesia. Surgery was successful in all cases without airway instrumentation or intraoperative complications. Sedation was provided with dexmedetomidine, propofol, and remifentanil. Two patients had apnea in the following 24 hours. There were no unplanned intensive care admissions. Laparoscopy allowed unplanned bilateral repair in 2 cases. Caudal with intravenous anesthesia without airway instrumentation is a viable technique for laparoscopic inguinal hernia repair. Avoiding general endotracheal anesthesia may reduce perioperative complications and influence postoperative disposition.

General anesthesia affecting on developing brain: evidence from animal to clinical research

As the recent update of General anaesthesia compared to spinal anaesthesia (GAS) studies has been published in 2019, together with other clinical evidence, the human studies provided an overwhelming mixed evidence of an association between anaesthesia exposure in early childhood and later neurodevelopment changes in children. Pre-clinical studies in animals provided strong evidence on how anaesthetic and sedative agents (ASAs) causing neurotoxicity in developing brain and deficits in long-term cognitive functions. However pre-clinical results cannot translate to clinical practice directly. Three well designed large population-based human studies strongly indicated that a single brief exposure to general anesthesia (GAs) is not associated with any long-term neurodevelopment deficits in children's brain. Multiple exposure might cause decrease in processing speed and motor skills of children. However, the association between GAs and neurodevelopment in children is still inconclusive. More clinical studies with larger scale observations, randomized trials with longer duration exposure of GAs and follow-ups, more sensitive outcome measurements, and strict confounder controls are needed in the future to provide more conclusive and informative data. New research area has been developed to contribute in finding solutions for clinical practice as attenuating the neurotoxic effect of ASAs. Xenon and Dexmedetomidine are already used in clinical setting as neuroprotection and anaesthetic sparing-effect, but more research is still needed.

General Anesthesia Maintained with Sevoflurane versus Propofol in Pediatric Surgery Shorter Than 1 Hour: A Randomized Single-Blind Study

Background

Sevoflurane was compared with propofol for general anesthesia maintenance in pediatric operations lasting less than 1 hour in terms of anesthetic effect and postoperative recovery.

Material/Methods

Children scheduled for inguinal hernia repair or hydrocele testis repair were randomly assigned to receive general anesthesia maintained with either sevoflurane (n=43) or propofol (n=43). The ilioinguinal nerve was blocked with 1% lidocaine (7 mg/kg) after intravenous administration of ketamine (2 mg/kg). At the end of the surgery in patients receiving sevoflurane, sevoflurane was stopped and a bolus of propofol of 1 mg/kg was administered.

Results

Sevoflurane was associated with significantly less use of ketamine (35.1±10.6 mg) than was propofol (59.0±28.0 mg; P<0.001). In addition, sevoflurane was associated with a significantly shorter time in the post-anesthesia care unit (52.1±9.0 min) than was propofol (68.8±15.3 min; P<0.001). Propofol was associated with a significantly higher incidence of intraoperative body movement (33.3%) than was sevoflurane (13.5%; P=0.045). However, the 2 groups showed no important differences in other adverse events such as hypoxia, emergence agitation, and additional use of propofol.

Conclusions

In pediatric surgery lasting less than 1 hour, anesthesia maintained with sevoflurane was associated with significantly less use of ketamine, shorter postoperative recovery time, and less intraoperative body movement than was propofol.

Inguinal Hernia in Premature Infants

Inguinal hernia is a common problem affecting infants in the NICU. As a group, preterm infants have the highest incidence of inguinal hernia and this risk increases as gestational age decreases. The etiopathologic factors leading to the development of an inguinal hernia are not clear and interventions to alter these factors have not been thoroughly investigated. Diagnosis of an inguinal hernia is often straightforward, but occasionally it may be difficult to determine if the hernia is strangulated or simply obstructed. Rarely, investigative modalities, such as ultrasonography, may be needed to rule out other potential causes. The ideal timing of surgical repair in this population is unknown and complicated by comorbid conditions and limited randomized controlled trials. During surgery, the choice of regional versus general anesthesia requires a team-based approach and studies have found that greater clinical experience is associated with lower morbidity. The techniques of hernia surgery range from open to laparoscopic repair and have been investigated in small prospective studies, while larger databases have been used to analyze outcomes retrospectively.