Postanesthetic apnea and periodic breathing in infants

Abstract

We designed this prospective study to determine the incidence of perioperative apnea and/or periodic breathing in infants undergoing general anesthesia for inguinal herniorrhaphy in the first year of life. We also attempted to define the age at which a prematurely born infant 'outgrows' possible apneic episodes. Eighty-six patients were studied. Thirty-eight infants were premature and 48 infants were full term. Seven of the full-term infants were ≤44 weeks conceptual age, and 41 were >44 weeks conceptual age at the time of surgery. Periodic breathing was noted only in 14 ex-prematures with a conceptual age less than or equal to 44 weeks compared with those with a conceptual age greater than 44 weeks. These 14 (63.6%) had postoperative PB greater than 0.5% without bradycardia on pneumogram. Two of these patients showed PB as late as 5 h postoperatively. None of the patients in either group required endotracheal intubation or controlled ventilation postoperatively.