No abstract

NIRS has been used as a key device with the aim to evaluate the impact of surgery and anesthesia on cerebral and splanchnic oxygenation in neonatal population. The main applications has been in cardiac surgery, congenital diaphragmatic hernia and esophageal atresia. In this report we summarized the results published on the application of NIRS in neonatal surgery with particular respect to cerebral and splanchnic oxygenation, presenting also some future prospective.

The good level of anesthesia and analgesia achieved sustains the efficacy of sedation with propofol during laser photocoagulation to avoid intubation and mechanical ventilation during and after the procedure.

Importance: Presence of laryngotracheal abnormalities is associated with increased morbidity and higher mortality rate in esophageal atresia patients.Objective: Determine the prevalence of laryngotracheal abnormalities (LTA) in a prospectively collected cohort of patients treated for esophageal atresia and/or tracheoesophageal fistula (EA/TEF). Analysis of the impact of those airway anomalies in early post-operative outcomes was performed.Patients and Methods: This was a review of a prospectively collected database, including patients from January 2008 to December 2017. Patients enrolled in the present study were treated in a high-volume referral center. Present study included all newborn-infants consecutively treated for EA/TEF. All patients were evaluated by flexible laryngotracheoscopy performed under local anesthesia in spontaneous breathing. In case of airway malformation suspected during flexible endoscopy, a rigid endoscopy was performed to complete airway assessment. If post-operative respiratory symptoms (noisy breathing, respiratory difficulty, failure to extubate, or difficulty feeding) were noted, a second laryngotracheoscopy was performed. Primary study outcome was to evaluate the prevalence of LTA in EA/TEF infants, characterizing of LTA, and their impact on early post-operative outcomes. Those primary study outcomes were planned before data collection began.Results: During the study period 207 patients with EA/TEF were treated. LTA had a period prevalence of 40.1% (83/207). Although no differences were recorded in terms of demographics and clinical presentation, LTA+ infants more frequently required tracheostomy (12/52, 23% vs. 0/124, 0%; p 0.0001) and were at increased risk of death (12/83, 14% vs. 5/124, 4%; p 0.009) in comparison with EA/TEF without LTA.Conclusions: Present data suggest a high prevalence of congenital LTA in patients affected by EA. Most of the abnormalities are congenital and a high proportion of patients with LTA require a tracheostomy. Mortality significantly correlates with the presence of LTA. Systematic airway endoscopic preoperative evaluation has to be pushed forward to minimize LTA-related morbidity and mortality.

In infants undergoing thoracotomy, loco-regional analgesia is effective and associated with a reduced intensity of postoperative care and earlier full feeding than systemic analgesia; it should therefore be considered a better option.