Dermatologists are often faced with the decision of when to operate on a child at risk for developing malignant melanoma in a large congenital nevocytic nevus. As a series of operations is usually required, an understanding of the lethal and nonlethal effects of the general anesthesia is necessary. This paper discusses these potential iatrogenic effects on the child's physical and psychological development. Suggestions are given for optimal times to operate, considering both psychological and physical factors, (i.e., 6-9 months or 8-12 years of age) and ways to minimize unwanted side effects.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.