American Academy of Pediatrics Updates Anesthesia Guidelines

American Academy of Pediatrics Updates Anesthesia Guidelines

The American Academy of Pediatrics in Chicago released its policy statement, “Critical Elements for the Pediatric Perioperative Anesthesia Environment,” in the December 2015 issue of Pediatrics. The statement provides updated recommendations for children undergoing general anesthesia. While most dental procedures do not require sedation, preschool-age children with more than six caries lesions—a group that is increasing, according to the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention—may require it because this patient population may have difficulty sitting through the required restorative care while awake.

The need for updated guidelines is based on the fact that children are at increased risk of adverse effects caused by the administration of general anesthesia during medical and dental procedures. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that children with complex medical conditions receive general anesthesia from an experienced anesthesiologist with a specialty certification in pediatric anesthesiology who dedicates 30% of his or her practice to treating children with comorbidities.

The goal of such recommendations, says lead author David M. Polaner, MD, FAAP, is to make sure all resources are in place to provide the safest possible care to children who require anesthesia. “The American Academy of Pediatrics’ policy statement advises institutions on how they should tailor the depth of these resources to the complexity and ages of the pediatric patients they serve,” Polaner states.

Hygiene Connection E-Newsletter

January 2016