Background: Neonates and infants requiring anaesthesia are at risk of physiological instability and complications, but triggers for peri-anaesthetic interventions and associations with subsequent outcome are unknown. Methods: This prospective, observational study recruited patients up to 60 weeks' postmenstrual age undergoing anaesthesia for surgical or diagnostic procedures from 165 centres in 31 European countries between March 2016 and January 2017. The primary aim was to identify thresholds of pre-determined physiological variables that triggered a medical intervention. The secondary aims were to evaluate morbidities, mortality at 30 and 90 days, or both, and associations with critical events. Results: Infants (n¼5609) born at mean (standard deviation [SD]) 36.2 (4.4) weeks postmenstrual age (35.7% preterm) underwent 6542 procedures within 63 (48) days of birth. Critical event(s) requiring intervention occurred in 35.2% of cases, mainly hypotension (>30% decrease in blood pressure) or reduced oxygenation (SpO 2 <85%). Postmenstrual age influenced the incidence and thresholds for intervention. Risk of critical events was increased by prior neonatal medical conditions, congenital anomalies, or both (relative risk [RR]¼1.16; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04e1.28
Logistical and ethical reasons make conducting clinical research in paediatric practice difficult, and therefore safe and efficacious advances are dependent on good preclinical research. For example, notable advances have been made in preclinical studies of pain processing that correlate well with patient data. Other areas of paediatric anaesthetic research remain in their infancy including mechanisms of anaesthesia and anaesthetic neuroprotection and neurotoxicity. Animal data have identified the potential 'double-edged' sword of administering anaesthetic agents in the young; although these agents can be neuroprotective in certain circumstances, they can be neurotoxic in others. The potential for this toxicity must be balanced against the importance of providing adequate anaesthesia for which there can be no compromise. We review the current state of preclinical research in paediatric anaesthesia and identify areas which require further exploration in order to provide the foundations for well-conducted clinical trials.
Background: Neonates and infants are susceptible to hypoxaemia in the perioperative period. The aim of this study was to analyse interventions related to anaesthesia tracheal intubations in this European cohort and identify their clinical consequences. Methods: We performed a secondary analysis of tracheal intubations of the European multicentre observational trial (NEonate and Children audiT of Anaesthesia pRactice IN Europe [NECTARINE]) in neonates and small infants with difficult tracheal intubation. The primary endpoint was the incidence of difficult intubation and the related complications. The secondary endpoints were the risk factors for severe hypoxaemia attributed to difficult airway management, and 30 and 90 day outcomes. Results: Tracheal intubation was planned in 4683 procedures. Difficult tracheal intubation, defined as two failed attempts of direct laryngoscopy, occurred in 266 children (271 procedures) with an incidence (95% confidence interval [CI]) of 5.8% (95% CI, 5.1e6.5). Bradycardia occurred in 8% of the cases with difficult intubation, whereas a significant decrease in oxygen saturation (SpO 2 <90% for 60 s) was reported in 40%. No associated risk factors could be identified among comorbidities, surgical, or anaesthesia management. Using propensity scoring to adjust for confounders, difficult anaesthesia tracheal intubation did not lead to an increase in 30 and 90 day morbidity or mortality. Conclusions:The results of the present study demonstrate a high incidence of difficult tracheal intubation in children less than 60 weeks post-conceptual age commonly resulting in severe hypoxaemia. Reassuringly, the morbidity and mortality at 30 and 90 days was not increased by the occurrence of a difficult intubation event. Clinical trial registration: NCT02350348.
There is a large variation in the dose of remifentanil tolerated by children while breathing spontaneously under anesthesia. A respiratory rate of <10 b.min(-1) appears to be the best predictor of the maximum tolerated dose.
Background: Total intravenous anesthesia is used in less than 10% of operations in the UK. Many pediatric anesthetists in the UK and Ireland administer total intravenous anesthesia to children using a mixture of propofol and remifentanil in the same syringe. This unlicensed drug has not been studied clinically, because of lack of Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (UK) or Food and Drug Administration (US) approval to undertake such studies. Aim: The aim of this service evaluation was to assess the safety profile and effectiveness of propofol-remifentanil mixtures in the pediatric population undergoing a variety of surgical procedures. Methods: Pediatric Anesthetists in the UK and Ireland who regularly used propofolremifentanil mixtures for total intravenous anesthesia were invited to submit data. This data were analyzed to assess the effectiveness of anesthesia and the incidence and nature of any complications that occurred. Results: Usable data were collected from 873 patients. Mixtures were most commonly administered in gastroenterology and ear, nose, and throat procedures. Twothirds of patients were less than 10 years old, and their mean weight was 28.7 kg. Anesthesia using the mixture alone was successful in all but 3 patients. The commonest nonserious complication was coughing (4.6%), followed by movement (3.3%). The overall incidence of serious, related, unexpected adverse events requiring intervention was 1.7%. These included desaturation (5 patients), apnea (3), abdominal/chest rigidity (2), cough requiring paralysis (2), ventilatory problems (2), and hypotension (1). Most occurred at induction, were attributable to the properties of the drugs being administered and not directly related to the use of the mixture. No life-threatening adverse events were recorded. Complications were less common if a ≤5 μg mL −1 concentration of remifentanil was used. Conclusion: These data demonstrate that effective anesthesia can be administered to pediatric patients undergoing a wide range of procedures using mixtures of propofol and remifentanil. Serious, related, unexpected adverse events requiring intervention had a low incidence and were largely due to predictable effects of the drugs being administered. A ≤5 μg mL −1 remifentanil concentration is associated with proportionately less complications. How to cite this article: Bagshaw O, McCormack J, Brooks P, Marriott D, Baxter A. The safety profile and effectiveness of propofol-remifentanil mixtures for total intravenous anesthesia in children.
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.
hi@scite.ai
10624 S. Eastern Ave., Ste. A-614
Henderson, NV 89052, USA
Copyright © 2024 scite LLC. All rights reserved.
Made with 💙 for researchers
Part of the Research Solutions Family.