1
|
AlKattan W, Sabbah BN, Alghafees MA, Sabbah AN, Alsaleem A, Alqahtani MA, Almadani A, Alrashid A, Alshabanat FB, Ali Omar MS, Ouban A, Aleem MU, Barbour A, Abuzubida A, Osman NA, Ali SS, Abbara Z, Alfuwais MA. Pediatric Anesthesia Exposure: Decoding Its Neurodevelopmental Implications and Navigating the Nuances. Cureus 2024; 16:e55952. [PMID: 38601369 PMCID: PMC11005881 DOI: 10.7759/cureus.55952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/11/2024] [Indexed: 04/12/2024] Open
Abstract
General anesthesia is fundamental in pediatric medical interventions, but its potential neurodevelopmental impact on children has raised concerns, necessitating a thorough investigation. This systematic review aimed to assess the association between pediatric anesthesia exposure and neurodevelopmental outcomes, focusing on dosage effects and identifying high-risk groups. The study involved an extensive literature search across PubMed, Medline, and Google Scholar, selecting 40 relevant studies from an initial pool of 2,000, based on inclusion criteria that focused on children under 18 years exposed to anesthesia, excluding those with major comorbidities or perioperative physiological insults. It was observed that while a single exposure to anesthesia had minimal impact on general neurodevelopment, repeated or prolonged exposures posed greater concerns. Despite these findings, the study identified gaps in certain areas like adaptive behavior and sensory cognition due to limited data. The conclusion drawn is that although the evidence on anesthesia-induced neurotoxicity in children remains inconclusive, the implications of pediatric anesthesia exposure are significant enough to warrant careful consideration by healthcare professionals, who should balance the procedural benefits against the risks. This study also calls for future research to standardize methodologies and employ consistent, validated neurodevelopmental measurement tools.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Wael AlKattan
- Surgery, Alfaisal University College of Medicine, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Belal N Sabbah
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University College of Medicine, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Mohammad A Alghafees
- College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Ahmad N Sabbah
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University College of Medicine, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Alanood Alsaleem
- Anesthesiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Meshari A Alqahtani
- College of Medicine, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Alshaima Almadani
- Anesthesiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Aljazi Alrashid
- Anesthesiology, King Faisal Specialist Hospital and Research Centre, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Faris B Alshabanat
- College of Medicine, Imam Mohammed Ibn Saud Islamic University, Riyadh, SAU
| | | | | | | | - Aladeen Barbour
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University College of Medicine, Riyadh, SAU
| | | | - Nadine A Osman
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University College of Medicine, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Saad S Ali
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University College of Medicine, Riyadh, SAU
| | - Zain Abbara
- College of Medicine, Alfaisal University College of Medicine, Riyadh, SAU
| | | |
Collapse
|
2
|
Jayanthi VR. Commentary to spinal versus general anesthesia: Comparing outcomes in pediatric patients undergoing urologic procedures. J Pediatr Urol 2023; 19:829. [PMID: 37777470 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpurol.2023.08.027] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/09/2023] [Accepted: 08/10/2023] [Indexed: 10/02/2023]
Affiliation(s)
- Venkata R Jayanthi
- Department of Urology, Nationwide Children's Hospital, 700 Children's Drive, Columbus, OH 43205, USA.
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Hogarth K, Tarazi D, Maynes JT. The effects of general anesthetics on mitochondrial structure and function in the developing brain. Front Neurol 2023; 14:1179823. [PMID: 37533472 PMCID: PMC10390784 DOI: 10.3389/fneur.2023.1179823] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/04/2023] [Accepted: 06/28/2023] [Indexed: 08/04/2023] Open
Abstract
The use of general anesthetics in modern clinical practice is commonly regarded as safe for healthy individuals, but exposures at the extreme ends of the age spectrum have been linked to chronic cognitive impairments and persistent functional and structural alterations to the nervous system. The accumulation of evidence at both the epidemiological and experimental level prompted the addition of a warning label to inhaled anesthetics by the Food and Drug Administration cautioning their use in children under 3 years of age. Though the mechanism by which anesthetics may induce these detrimental changes remains to be fully elucidated, increasing evidence implicates mitochondria as a potential primary target of anesthetic damage, meditating many of the associated neurotoxic effects. Along with their commonly cited role in energy production via oxidative phosphorylation, mitochondria also play a central role in other critical cellular processes including calcium buffering, cell death pathways, and metabolite synthesis. In addition to meeting their immense energy demands, neurons are particularly dependent on the proper function and spatial organization of mitochondria to mediate specialized functions including neurotransmitter trafficking and release. Mitochondrial dependence is further highlighted in the developing brain, requiring spatiotemporally complex and metabolically expensive processes such as neurogenesis, synaptogenesis, and synaptic pruning, making the consequence of functional alterations potentially impactful. To this end, we explore and summarize the current mechanistic understanding of the effects of anesthetic exposure on mitochondria in the developing nervous system. We will specifically focus on the impact of anesthetic agents on mitochondrial dynamics, apoptosis, bioenergetics, stress pathways, and redox homeostasis. In addition, we will highlight critical knowledge gaps, pertinent challenges, and potential therapeutic targets warranting future exploration to guide mechanistic and outcomes research.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kaley Hogarth
- Program in Molecular Medicine, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Doorsa Tarazi
- Program in Molecular Medicine, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Jason T. Maynes
- Program in Molecular Medicine, SickKids Research Institute, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Hospital for Sick Children, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Biochemistry, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
- Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| |
Collapse
|