Anesthesia and Pain Management

Abstract

Due to developments in surgical techniques and equipment, surgical repairs in smaller infants and young children became feasible in the last decades. This has been linked to new anesthetic drugs and new anesthesia modalities such as regional anesthesia. Increased operative intervention in preterm and low birth-weight infants has led to increased demand for postoperative high dependency and intensive care. The success of major pediatric and neonatal surgery depends on the cooperation between surgeon, anesthetist, and nursing and allied professions to optimize anesthetic and surgical management. Basic techniques for maintaining a favorable physiologic milieu in the face of surgical intervention while at the same time ensuring adequate analgesia and anesthesia is essential. Besides intraoperative management, adequate postoperative care is crucial for the surgical pediatric patient. The best postoperative care should take place in an environment where the healthcare staff are skilled and trained to manage the challenges presented by neonatal and pediatric physiology in the perioperative period.