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BACKGROUND Peri-operative respiratory adverse events (PRAEs) in paediatric patients with upper respiratory tract infections (URTIs) remain inadequately explored in patients allowed to proceed to anaesthesia and surgery. OBJECTIVE To determine the incidence and risk factors of PRAE in children with URTI allowed to proceed to anaesthesia. DESIGN Multicentre cohort study performed over 6 months in France. SETTING Sixteen centres with dedicated paediatric anaesthetists. PATIENTS Eligible patients were aged from 0 to 18 years with URTI symptoms on admission or a history of such over the preceding 4 weeks. MAIN OUTCOMES The primary outcome of the study was to determine predictors of PRAE. Secondary outcomes were: predictors of peri-operative arterial desaturation and of the decision to proceed with anaesthesia and surgery in children with URTI. RESULTS Overall, 621 children were included and 489 (78.7%) anaesthetised. Of those anaesthetised, 165 (33.5%) and 97 (19.8%) experienced PRAE and arterial desaturation, respectively. Factors predictive of PRAE included patient age, tracheal intubation and the absence of midazolam premedication. Factors predictive of peri-operative arterial desaturation included patient age, anaesthetist experience, endoscopic procedures and the presence of other PRAE. Factors predicting proceeding to anaesthesia in the context of URTI included anaesthetist experience, emergency procedures and the absence of severe URTI symptoms. CONCLUSION The risk of PRAE in patients anaesthetised in the presence of URTI was similar to previous publications - close to 30%. In the light of our findings, first, current rescheduling indications should be questioned, and second, further medical and organisational strategies should be investigated to reduce PRAE in children with URTI. TRIAL REGISTRATION The study was registered in the European Networks of Centers for Pharmacoepidemiology and Pharmacovigilance (EUPAS16436). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Little information is available on the titration of morphine postoperatively in children. This observational study describes the technique in terms of the bolus dose, the number of boluses required, the time to establish analgesia, and side effects noted. Methods Morphine was administered if pain score ( VAS or FLACC) was >30. Patients weighing less than 45 kg received a 50 μg·kg−1 bolus of morphine with subsequent boluses of 25 μg kg−1 as required. Patients weighing over 45 kg received boluses of 2 mg. Pain and Ramsay scores were recorded up to 90 min after the end of the titration and any side effect or complication was noted. Data are presented as the median [interquartile Q1-Q3 range]. Results Overall, 103 children were studied. The median age was 4.2 years [0.8-12.2 years]. The median weight was 15.5 kg [8.2-35.0 kg]. The protocol was effective for pain control with a significant decrease in pain scores over time. The median pain score ( VAS or FLACC) was 70 [50-80] prior to the initial bolus and 0 [0-10] 90 min after the last bolus. Median Ramsay score was 1 [1-2] before the initial bolus administration and 4 [2-4] at 90 min. The median total dose of morphine was 100 [70-140] μg·kg−1, and the median number of boluses was 3 [2-5]. Side effects were observed in 17% of cases. No serious complications were observed. Conclusions Our study of morphine titration for children shows that our protocol was effective for pain control with a significant decrease in pain scores over time. No serious complications were encountered. More studies on larger cohorts of patients are needed to confirm the efficacy and safety of this protocol. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Anticipation and planning are essential steps of risk management but the mechanisms of planning behavior are incompletely understood, especially the factors including collective work. The aim of this research is to understand how anesthetists plan safe solution to perform anesthesia. Methods: A study based on interviews was conducted in two French hospitals. Data processing focused on the main decisions made by 20 anesthetists during two simulated pre-anesthetic consultation. The main decisions made have been identified and the decision criteria have been analyzed. Results: To ensure patient safety, all anesthetists do not plan the same solution. The rejection or the selection of solutions by each physician rests on two types of criteria: the assessment of risks for the patient and the assessment of resources available to handle the situation. For the latter, the knowledge on the individual skills of each and the adoption of 'local benchmark practices' play an essential role. Conclusion: Ultra safe performance in highly variable systems cannot be achieved only through standardization but also through the possibility and ability of the subjects to adapt their practices to their own skills and to that of their colleagues. The conditions for the development of this 'adaptative safety' are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary Background: There are few data regarding perioperative adverse events in children with nephrotic syndrome. Objectives: The aim of this study was to describe the nature and frequency of perioperative adverse events in children with nephrotic syndrome. Materials and Methods: This is a retrospective study from a large university pediatric hospital. All procedures under general anesthesia in children with nephrotic syndrome between January 1995 and May 2007 were included, with the exception of renal transplantation. Data were collected on demographics, etiology of nephrotic syndrome and related treatments, surgical procedures and anesthetic techniques, and pre- and postoperative treatments. Adverse events occurring during the intraoperative period and up to the fifth postoperative day were recorded. Results: Data on eight patients who underwent 24 surgical or interventional procedures under general anesthesia over the study period were reviewed. Three patients had steroid-resistant nephrotic syndrome and five patients had congenital or infantile nephrotic syndrome. Five patients had progressed to end-stage renal failure requiring dialysis. General anesthesia was performed for: nephrectomy ( n = 9), central venous catheter insertion ( n = 8), peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion ( n = 5), and emergency surgery in two cases (acute intestinal intussusception and hemodialysis catheter insertion). Three patients were receiving aspirin and one anticoagulant therapy. No postoperative thrombosis or infections, bleeding, peripheral edema or ascites, and increase in kalemia were noted. There was no significant postoperative increase in median serum creatinine level. Conclusions: Surgical procedures were seldom associated with the occurrence of perioperative adverse events. However, larger studies are needed to confirm these results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide French guidelines about "Airway management during paediatric anaesthesia". A consensus committee of 17 experts from the French Society of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care Medicine (Société Française d'Anesthésie-Réanimation , SFAR) and the Association of French speaking paediatric anaesthesiologists and intensivists (Association Des Anesthésistes Réanimateurs Pédiatriques d'Expression Francophone , ADARPEF) was convened. The entire process was conducted independently of any industry funding. The authors followed the principles of the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE®) system to assess the quality of evidence. The potential drawbacks of making strong recommendations in the presence of low-quality evidence were emphasised. Few recommendations were not graded. The panel focused on 7 questions: 1) Supraglottic Airway devices 2) Cuffed endotracheal tubes 3) Videolaryngoscopes 4) Neuromuscular blocking agents 5) Rapid sequence induction 6) Airway device removal 7) Airway management in the child with recent or ongoing upper respiratory tract infection. Population, intervention, comparison, and outcomes (PICO) questions were reviewed and updated as needed, and evidence profiles were generated. The analysis of the literature and the redaction of the recommendations were then conducted according to the GRADE® methodology. The SFAR Guideline panel provides 17 statements on "airway management during paediatric anaesthesia". After two rounds of discussion and various amendments, a strong agreement was reached for 100% of the recommendations. Of these recommendations, 6 have a high level of evidence (Grade 1 ±), 6 have a low level of evidence (Grade 2 ±) and 5 are experts' opinions. No recommendation could be provided for 3 questions. Substantial agreement exists among experts regarding many strong recommendations for paediatric airway management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Paediatric robotic surgery is gaining popularity across multiple disciplines and offers technical advantages in complex procedures requiring delicate dissection. To date, limited publications describe its perioperative management in children. We retrospectively analysed the prospectively collected anaesthetic data of the first 200 robotic-assisted surgery procedures in our paediatric university hospital as part of a multidisciplinary program from October of 2016 to February of 2019. Anaesthetic technique and monitoring were based on guidelines initially derived from adult data. We examined adverse events and particular outcomes including blood loss and analgesic requirements. Fifty-one different surgical procedures were performed in patients aged 4 months to 18 years (weight 5–144 kg). Operative times averaged 4 h and conversion rate was 3%. Neither robotic arm nor positional injury occurred. Limited access to the patient did not lead to any complication. Hypothermia was frequent and mostly self-limiting. Negative physiological effects due to positioning, body cavity insufflation or surgery manifesting as significant respiratory and haemodynamic changes occurred in 14% and 11% of patients, respectively. Overt haemorrhage complicated one case. Eighty per cent of 170 patients did not require level 3 analgesics postoperatively, while thoracic and certain tumour cases had greater analgesic requirements. These preliminary results show that paediatric robotic surgery is well tolerated with a low bleeding risk and that major intraoperative events are uncommon. A consistent anaesthetic approach is effective across a broad range of procedures. Analgesic requirements are low excluding thoracic and some complex abdominal cases. Future studies should focus on the rehabilitative aspects of robotic surgery technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]