Pediatric Anesthesia

We understand that having a child undergo a medical procedure or surgery is a very stressful situation. Below you will find answers to frequently asked questions regarding the anesthesia for your child's procedure.

What is general anesthesia?
General anesthesia is a state of unconsciousness caused artificially by medications. Patients under a general anesthetic are very deeply asleep and do not feel pain.

What are the risks of anesthesia?
Generally speaking, anesthesia is quite safe. An anesthesia provider will be with you child at all times during the surgery to make sure that his/her heart is beating well, that his/her blood pressure is good, and that he/she is breathing properly. Although complications from anesthesia are quite rare, they can occur. Common side effects include nausea and/or vomiting, a sore throat, or skin irritation. Less common complications, such as serious allergies, broken/chipped teeth, pneumonia, or death can occur, but are very rare. 

Can my child eat before surgery?
No. Having a food or liquid in the stomach can be very dangerous to a person who is undergoing anesthesia. When anesthesia starts, it is possible for this food or liquid in the stomach to go into the lungs and cause pneumonia. Our current rules are that children are to stop eating by midnight the night before the surgery. They can drink clear liquids (water, apple juice, Gatorade) up to 2 hours before arriving at the hospital. Failure to follow these rules will result in your child's surgery getting delayed or cancelled. Special considerations are made for infants less than 6 months of age. 

Will I be able to be with my child when he/she falls asleep?
Maybe. This depends on the type of surgery, as well as your child's age and other medical problems. If you are unable to be with your child when he/she goes to sleep, we may be able to give him a medication in the preoperative area to make him/her quite sleepy and less anxious. In general, children less than one year of age do not require premedication or a parent present for the beginning of anesthesia, as they have not yet developed stranger anxiety. 

Will I be there when my child wakes up?
Because all children respond to anesthesia differently, predicting exactly when a child will wake up is impossible. We make every effort to have parents in the recovery room before their child is completely awake. 

What will my child be like when he/she wakes up from anesthesia?
Children react to and recover from anesthesia differently. Not uncommonly, children can be cranky, and sometimes quite disoriented or confused after anesthesia. Also following surgery, you child may be in pain. Under guidance of the anesthesiologists, recovery room nurses will help manage your child's pain before you leave the recovery room. 

What is a caudal anesthetic?
A caudal anesthetic is a type of epidural anesthesia (see below) that involves putting local anesthesia (numbing medicine) and/or morphine into the space outside the spine in the area of the child's sacrum ("tailbone") to help eliminate pain after your child's surgery. This anesthetic technique is especially useful in urologic and certain general surgeries. A caudal involves a single shot after your child is asleep. If a caudal is appropriate for your child, your anesthesiologist will talk to you more about this option on the day of surgery. 

What is an epidural anesthetic?
An epidural anesthetic is most commonly considered to reduce pain after large, painful surgeries. The procedure involves finding the epidural space with a small needle, and placing a catheter into the epidural space. The needle is removed, but the catheter is left in place to deliver local anesthetic (and possibly other pain medications) during and after the surgery. Pain specialists supervise care of all patients with epidurals post-operatively, to adjust the medications. If your child is a candidate for an epidural, your anesthesiologist will talk with you more about this option on the day of surgery. 

What is a nerve block?
A nerve block is frequently used for orthopedic procedures and involves placing local anesthesia (numbing medicine) on nerves to reduce pain after a surgery. If your child is a candidate for a nerve block, your anesthesiologist will talk with you more about this option on the day of surgery.