Administration of general anaesthesia to a paediatric patient with osteopetrosis

Abstract

Osteopetrosis is a rare clinical syndrome characterised by the failure of bone resorption and remodelling, which causes multiple anatomical and physiological impairments. Pathological fractures can occur, in addition to, haemathological and metabolic impairments. Our patient was a 9-year-old girl diagnosed with osteopetrosis in the neonatal period. She had severe anaemia, thrombocytopaenia, hypocalcaemia, as well as growth and development delays. In this case report, the administration of general anaesthesia to the patient for a biopsy of the scalp and skull and a partial maxillectomy is presented. Copyright 2012 BMJ Publishing Group. All rights reserved.