Information ⬇
- Fasting Guidelines (Table 42-5: Fasting Guidelines for Children Requiring Elective Anesthesia).
- Gastric emptying times after breast milk and formula have only been evaluated in infants; there are no data for comparable emptying times in children (≥1 year of age).
- The gastric fluid characteristics in the child who is chewing gum are not substantially different from those in the fasted child. The child must expectorate the gum before proceeding with general anesthesia.
- Laboratory Testing
- Preoperative laboratory testing (including urinalysis and hematocrit) is infrequently ordered in healthy children without pre-existing medical disease.
- A preoperative pregnancy test is required before anesthesia and sedation in most girls of childbearing age.
- Medical Conditions (Table 42-6: Medical Conditions to Consider in the Pediatric Patient)
- Preoperative History. Medical, surgical, and family histories, including complications, should be recorded (Table 42-7: Criteria to Cancel Anesthesia with an Upper Respiratory Tract Infection and Table 42-8: Sbe Prophylaxis Recommendations by The American Heart Associatoin).
- Preoperative physical examination includes the airway and respiratory and cardiovascular systems.
- Anesthetic Risks: Consent/Assent. Perioperative cardiac arrest rate is greater in children who are young (age <1 year) and in children with congenital heart disease and those undergoing emergency surgery.
- Allergies. Latex allergy is an important consideration when preparing the operating room for children.
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