Anaesthetic concerns in preterm and term neonates

Anaesthesia for neonates is a composite of good knowledge of neonatal and transitional physiology combined with skill in airway maintenance and vascular access. When the newborn is a preterm, the complexities of management increase due to the small size and accompanying issues such as bronchopulmona...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Rajeshwari Subramaniam
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wolters Kluwer Medknow Publications 2019-01-01
Series:Indian Journal of Anaesthesia
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.ijaweb.org/article.asp?issn=0019-5049;year=2019;volume=63;issue=9;spage=771;epage=779;aulast=Subramaniam
Description
Summary:Anaesthesia for neonates is a composite of good knowledge of neonatal and transitional physiology combined with skill in airway maintenance and vascular access. When the newborn is a preterm, the complexities of management increase due to the small size and accompanying issues such as bronchopulmonary dysplasia and apnoea. World over, the number of survivors of preterm birth is on the increase. We searched Pubmed for “Anesthesia, apnea, neonatal, neonates, physiology, preterm, spinal anesthesia”, as well as cross references from review articles. These babies have a high incidence of conditions warranting surgery (e.g., tracheoesophaeal fistula, congenital diaphragmatic hernia, anorectal malformations, incarcerated hernia, necrotising enterocolitis). The possibility of neurodevelopmental harm by anaesthetics is currently the topic of active research. In parallel, advances in paediatric anaesthesia equipment, use of regional and neuraxial anaesthesia and availability of monitoring have steadily increased the safety of anaesthesia in these tiny patients.
ISSN:0019-5049
0976-2817