Awake Children Research Articles

Cap-Based Transcranial Optical Tomography in an Awake Infant.

Although Blood Oxygenation Level Dependent (BOLD) functional MRI (fMRI) is widely used to examine brain function in adults, the need for general anesthesia limits its practical utility in infants and small children. Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy - Diffuse Optical Tomography (fNIRS-DOT) imaging promises to be an alternative brain network imaging technique. Yet current versions of continuous-wave fNIRS-DOT systems are restricted to the cortical surface measurements and do not probe deep structures that are frequently injured especially in premature infants. Herein we report a transcranial near infrared optical imaging system, called Cap-based Transcranial Optical Tomography (CTOT) able to image whole brain hemodynamic activity with 3 seconds of data acquisition time. We show the system is capable of whole brain oxygenation mapping in an awake child, and that tomographically reconstructed static CTOT-derived oxy- and deoxygenated blood volumes are spatially correlated with the time-averaged BOLD fMRI volumes. By removing time bottlenecks in the current system, dynamic CTOT mapping should be possible, which would then enable evaluation of functional connectivity in awake infants.

Normal Percentiles for Respiratory Rate in Children-Reference Ranges Determined from an Optical Sensor.

(1) Background: Increased respiratory rates (RRs) are described in several medical conditions, including pneumonia, bronchiolitis and asthma. There is variable methodology on how centiles for RR are derived in healthy children. Available age percentiles for RR have been generated using methods that have the potential themselves to alter the rate. (2) Methods: An optical respiratory sensor was used to measure RR. This technique enabled recording in awake children without the artefact of the observer’s presence on the subject’s RR. A cross-sectional sample of healthy children was obtained from maternity wards, childcare centres and schools in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. (3) Results: RRs were observed in 560 awake and 103 sleeping children of which data from 320 awake and 94 sleeping children were used to develop centile charts for children from birth to 13 years of age. RR is higher when children are awake compared to asleep. There were significant differences between awake and sleeping RR in young children. The awake median RR was 59.3 at birth and 25.4 at 3 years of age. In comparison, the median sleeping RR was 41.4 at birth and 22.0 at 3 years. (4) Conclusions: The centile charts will assist in determining abnormal RRs in children and will contribute to further systematic reviews related to this important vital sign. This is particularly in relation to the data on children aged from 0 to 3 years, where data are presented on both the awake and sleeping state. Many studies in the literature fail to acknowledge the impact of sleep state in young children on RR.

Multicentre feasibility of multiple-breath washout in preschool children with cystic fibrosis and other lung diseases.

BackgroundMultiple-breath washout (MBW)-derived lung clearance index (LCI) detects early cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. LCI was used as an end-point in single- and multicentre settings at highly experienced MBW centres in preschool children. However, multicentre feasibility of MBW in children aged 2–6 years, including centres naïve to this technique, has not been determined systematically.MethodsFollowing central training, 91 standardised nitrogen MBW investigations were performed in 74 awake preschool children (15 controls, 46 with CF, and 13 with other lung diseases), mean age 4.6±0.9 years at investigation, using a commercially available device across five centres in Germany (three experienced, two naïve to the performance in awake preschool children) with central data analysis. Each MBW investigation consisted of several measurements.ResultsOverall success rate of MBW investigations was 82.4% ranging from 70.6% to 94.1% across study sites. The number of measurements per investigation was significantly different between sites ranging from 3.7 to 6.2 (p<0.01), while the mean number of successful measurements per investigation was comparable with 2.1 (range, 1.9 to 2.5; p=0.46). In children with CF, the LCI was increased (median 8.2, range, 6.7–15.5) compared to controls (median 7.3, range 6.5–8.3; p<0.01), and comparable to children with other lung diseases (median 7.9, range, 6.6–13.9; p=0.95).ConclusionThis study demonstrates that multicentre MBW in awake preschool children is feasible, even in centres previously naïve, with central coordination to assure standardised training, quality control and supervision. Our results support the use of LCI as multicentre end-point in clinical trials in awake preschoolers with CF.

Comparison and intervention of differences in upper airway obstruction in children with OSAS between awake and asleep

Objective:Drug induced sleep endoscopy（DISE） is a useful tool to locate the upper airway obstructions in patients with obstructive sleep apnea syndrome（OSAS）. The goal of our research was to compare the sites, degree and patterns of upper airway obstruction detected by DISE versus endoscopy in awake children. The benefit of DISE-mediated upper airway surgery in pediatric OSAS was evaluated. Method:This is a retrospective case series of children with OSAS who had adenoid hypertrophy（the area where adenoids block the postnaris ≥2/3） and tonsils ≤2 degrees（Friedman classification method） . All children underwent sleep monitoring by pulse oximeter before and after operation. DISE was performed before adenoidectomy in DISE group. If obstruction of oropharynx caused by tonsils was found, tonsillectomy was performed at the same time with adenoidectomy. The children who did not undergo DISE before operation were enrolled in the control group. Differences in the degrees and patterns of upper airway obstruction in the DISE group under wakefulness and drug induction were analyzed. Result:The study included 126 children in DISE group, and 200 children in control group. In the DISE group, 56 cases（44.4%） had grade 2 tonsils, and 70 cases（55.6%） had grade 1 tonsils. The patterns of obstruction at velum, tongue base and epiglottis were significantly different in DISE compared with awake endoscopy（P<0.05）; the patterns of obstruction at adenoid and oropharynx were the same in both techniques. There were significant differences in endoscopy scores between the lateral wall of oropharynx and the tongue base（P<0.05）. DISE revealed 57 （45.2%） cases had grade 2 obstruction in the oropharyngeal level. Among them, 44 cases （34.9%） had tonsils at 2 degrees and 13 cases （10.3%） had tonsils at 1 degrees.. There was an improvement in respiratory disturbance index（RDI） and oxygen saturation nadir in the DISE and control groups 1 year after surgery（P<0.05）, and the RDI improvement was better in the DISE group compared with controls（P=0.04）. Conclusion:DISE is an effective method to evaluate the sites and severity of upper airway obstruction in children with OSAS, which was conductive to make the upper airway personalized surgical plan for patients.

Reliability and Recommended Settings for Pediatric Circumpapillary Retinal Nerve Fiber Layer Imaging Using Hand-Held Optical Coherence Tomography.

PurposeTo investigate feasibility and reliability of 3-dimensional full circumpapillary retinal nerve fiber layer (cpRNFL) analysis in children, with and without glaucoma, without the use of sedation and to recommend a protocol for hand-held optical coherence tomography use.MethodsA cohort of pediatric glaucoma patients and normal children were imaged with hand-held optical coherence tomography to assess the feasibility of obtaining full cpRNFL. Two consecutive scans were acquired in a smaller sample to investigate test–retest repeatability and interassessor reproducibility. The cpRNFL thickness was assessed in four quadrants, at several visual angles from the optic nerve center.ResultsScanning was attempted in both eyes of 90 children with pediatric glaucoma and 180 controls to investigate feasibility (mean age, 6.98 ± 4.42 years). Scanning was not possible in 68 eyes of glaucoma children mainly owing to nystagmus, unclear optical media, or high refractive errors. Where three-dimensional imaging was possible, success at obtaining full cpRNFL was 67% in children with glaucoma and 89% for controls. Seventeen children with pediatric glaucoma and 34 controls contributed to reliability analysis (mean age, 6.3 ± 3.63 years). For repeatability intraclass correlation coefficients across quadrants ranged from 0.63 to 0.82 at 4° and improved to 0.88 to 0.94 at 6°. Intraclass correlation coefficients for reproducibility were also highest at 6° (>0.97 across all quadrants).ConclusionsWe demonstrate that acquisition and measurement of cpRNFL thickness values using 3-dimensional hand-held optical coherence tomography volumes in awake children is both feasible and reliable and is optimal at 6° from optic nerve center.Translational RelevanceOur recommended protocol provides guidance on how pediatric optic nerve pathologies are managed by clinicians.

Intravenous cannula placement in children for induction of general anesthesia: Prospective audit and identification of success factors.

Approaches to pediatric induction of anesthesia vary widely. While oral sedative premedication and inhalational induction are common, total intravenous anesthesia is becoming increasingly popular. Total intravenous anesthesia without anxiolytic premedication, which is the most commonly used technique in our hospital, requires intravenous (IV) cannula placement in an awake child. To quantify the success rate of IV cannula placement in 1 or 2 attempts and to identify success factors and barriers. With ethical approval and written informed consent from participating anesthesiologists, a prospective audit of IV cannulation was undertaken over a 1-month period. The attending anesthesiologist captured basic demographics, IV insertion characteristics, setting, distraction techniques, the behavior of the child, number of attempts, and success/failure. A logistic regression model for successful IV cannulation was created. Anesthesiologists and procedural suite nurses participated in semi-structured interviews to identify success factors, barriers, and teaching approaches. Data from 984 cases were analyzed. IV induction was planned in 562 cases, and IV cannulation was successful in 90% of these patients. Anxiolytic premedication was given in 6% of cases. Observations indicated that 64% of children were pain- and reaction-free, and 90% experienced minimal or no reaction. Predictors for success included older child's age and child behavior at first encounter. Qualitative interview data from 13 participants suggested success factors included effective distraction, preparing the family for IV induction, parental presence, support of the operating room team, effective use of local analgesic cream, adapting the approach to the individual child, and the anesthesiologist's efficiency. Barriers included needle phobia, uncooperative child, anxious parents, ineffective use of analgesic cream, and unfavorable anatomy. Distraction techniques varied by age and developmental stage of the child. Cannulation for planned IV induction is feasible for most children, enabling increased use of total intravenous anesthesia as an institutional anesthetic strategy.

Tympanostomy Tube Controversies and Issues: State-of-the-Art Review.

To review current pragmatic issues and controversies related to tympanostomy tubes in children, in the context of current best research evidence plus expert opinion to provide nuance, address uncertainties, and fill evidence gaps. Each issue or controversy is followed by the relevant current best evidence, expert insight and opinion, and recommendations for action. The role of expert opinion and experience in forming conclusions is inversely related to the quality, consistency, and adequacy of published evidence. Conclusions are combined with opportunities for shared decision-making with caregivers to recommend pragmatic actions for clinicians in everyday settings. The issues and controversies discussed include (1) appropriate tube indications, (2) rationale for not recommending tubes for recurrent acute otitis media without persistent middle ear effusion, (3) role of tubes in at-risk children with otitis media with effusion, (4) role of new, automated tube insertion devices, (5) appropriateness and feasibility of in-office tube insertion in awake children, (6) managing methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus acute tube otorrhea, and (7) managing recurrent or persistent tube otorrhea. Despite a substantial, and constantly growing, volume of high-level evidence on managing children with tympanostomy tubes, there will always be gaps, uncertainties, and controversies that benefit from clinician experience and expert opinion. In that regard, the issues discussed in this review article will hopefully aid clinicians in everyday, pragmatic management decisions.

Pilot Study to Assess the Use of Ultrasound in Evaluating the Abnormal Pediatric Airway.

In this study, we sought to explore the feasibility of using ultrasonography to evaluate airway anomalies in awake children with previous airway reconstruction. For the month of December 2018, we reviewed the medical records of patients aged <18 years old with prior airway reconstruction who had an outpatient appointment and a microlaryngoscopy and bronchoscopy within 24 hours of each other. Four patients met inclusion criteria and were enrolled. Sonographic airway images and measurements were obtained during the outpatient appointment and compared with those obtained during endoscopy. Ultrasound identified extraluminal stents and glottic, subglottic, and tracheal pathology. Subglottic measurements obtained sonographically were within 0.1 to 0.5 mm of the outer diameter of the appropriate endotracheal tubes. Ultrasound did not visualize tracheotomy tubes or posterolateral pathology. Our findings lay the foundation for expanding the role of ultrasound in pediatric airway assessment, keeping in mind its apparent inability to visualize posterolateral airway pathology.

A practical approach to cerebral near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) directed hemodynamic management in noncardiac pediatric anesthesia.

Safeguarding cerebral function is of major importance during pediatric anesthesia. Premature, ex-premature, and full-term neonates can be vulnerable to physiological changes that occur during anesthesia and surgery. Data from studies performed during pediatric cardiac surgery and in neonatal/pediatric intensive care units have shown the benefits of near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) monitoring of regional cerebral oxygenation (c-rSO2 ). However, NIRS monitoring is seldom used during noncardiac pediatric anesthesia. Despite compelling evidence that blood pressure does not reflect end-organ perfusion, it is still regarded as the most important determinant of cerebral perfusion and the most relevant hemodynamic management target parameter by most (pediatric) anesthetists. The principle of NIRS monitoring is not self-explanatory and sometimes seems even counterintuitive, which may explain why many anesthesiologists are reserved regarding its use. The first part of this paper is dedicated to a clinical introduction to NIRS monitoring. Despite scientific efforts, it has not yet been possible to define individual lower limit c-rSO2 values and it is unlikely this will succeed in the near future. Nonetheless, published treatment algorithms usually specify c-rSO2 values which may be associated with cerebral hypoxia. Our treatment guideline for maintaining sufficient cerebral oxygenation differs fundamentally from all previously published approaches. We define a baseline c-rSO2 value, registered in the awake child prior to anesthesia induction, as the lowest acceptable limit during anesthesia and surgery. The cerebral rSO2 is the single target parameter, while blood pressure, heart rate, Pa CO2 , and SaO2 are major parameters that determine the c-rSO2. Cerebral NIRS monitoring, interpreted together with its continuously available contributing parameters, may help avoid potentially harmful episodes of cerebral desaturation in anesthetized pediatric patients.

Awake brain surgery in children-review of the literature and state-of-the-art.

Awake brain surgery (ABS) is poorly reported in children as it is considered having limited indications due to age and neuropsychological aspects interfering with its feasibility and psychological outcome. The aim of this article is to review the current state-of-the-art of ABS in children and to offer an objective summary of the published literature on diversified outcome aspects of pediatric awake procedures. A literature review was performed using the MEDLINE (PubMed) electronic database applying the following MeSH terms to the keyword search within titles and abstracts: "awake brain surgery children," "awake brain surgery pediatric," "awake craniotomy children," "awake craniotomy pediatric," and "awake surgery children." Of the initial 753 results obtained from these keyword searches, a full text screening of 51 publications was performed, ultimately resulting in 18 eligible articles for this review. A total of 18 full text articles reporting the results of 50 patients were included in the analysis. Sixteen of the 18 studies were retrospective studies, comprising 7 case series, 9 case reports, and 2 reviews. Eleven studies were conducted from anesthesiological (25 patients) and 7 from neurosurgical (25 patients) departments. Most of the patients underwent ABS for supratentorial lesions (26 patients), followed by epilepsy surgery (16 patients) and deep brain stimulation (DBS) (8 patients). The median age was 15years (range 8-17years). Persistent deficits occurred in 6 patients, (12%), corresponding to minor motor palsies (4%) and neuropsychological concerns (8%). An awake procedure was aborted in 2 patients (4%) due to cooperation failure and anxiety, respectively. Despite well-documented beneficial aspects, ABS remains mainly limited to adults. This review confirms a reliable tolerability of ABS in selected children; however, recommendations and guidelines for its standardized implementation in this patient group are pending. Recommendations and guidelines may address diagnostic workup and intra-operative handling besides criteria of eligibility, psychological preparation, and coordinated neuropsychological testing in order to routinely offer ABS to children.

The relation of optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) and intracranial pressure (ICP) in pediatric neurosurgery practice - Part I: Correlations, age-dependency and cut-off values.

It is assumed that the width of the optic nerve sheath diameter (ONSD) is dependent on intracranial pressure (ICP) and pulsatility and thus constitutes a non-invasively accessible "window" for qualitative assessment of ICP. Data on the correlation to invasively measured ICP in children are scarce and have often been obtained from sedated patients in intensive care unit (ICU) or intraoperatively. We report on a mixed cohort of pediatric neurosurgical patients, ICP and ONSD measurements were available from both sedated and awake children, only a minority from ICU patients. Seventy-two children were investigated. Ultrasound ONSD determination was performed immediately prior to invasive ICP measurement and the mean binocular ONSD was compared with ICP. The investigations were performed in children awake, sedated, or under general anesthesia. In the entire patient cohort, the correlation between ONSD and ICP was good (r = 0.52, p < 0.01). Children > 1year revealed a better correlation (r = 0.63; p < 0.01) and those ≤ 1year did worse (r = 0.21). Infants with open fontanelle had no correlation. In the entire cohort, the best ONSD cut-off value for detecting ICP ≥ 15 and ≥ 20mmHg was 5.28 and 5.57mm (OR 22.5 and 7.2, AUC 0.782 and 0.733). Transorbital ultrasound measurement of ONSD is a reliable non-invasive technique to assess increased ICP in children in every clinical situation; however, the impact of age and fontanelle status needs to be considered. ONSD thresholds enable qualitative first orientation regarding ICP categories with a very satisfying diagnostic accuracy.

Respiratory motion in children and young adults undergoing liver magnetic resonance imaging with intravenous gadoxetate disodium contrast material

Gadoxetate disodium, utilized in hepatobiliary magnetic resonance (MR) imaging, has been associated with transient respiratory motion during the arterial phase in adults. The purpose of this study was to determine the presence and severity of this phenomenon in children imaged awake versus under general anesthesia. This retrospective cohort study was approved by the institutional review board; informed consent was waived. One hundred thirty exams of children ≤18years old who underwent dynamic liver MR imaging with gadoxetate disodium between October 2010 and January 2018 were reviewed. Three pediatric radiologists scored respiratory motion artifacts on all imaging phases using a 5-point Likert scale. Differences in mean motion scores were assessed with analysis of variance and Tukey's multiple comparisons test, and multivariable regression was used to identify predictors of arterial phase motion in awake patients. One hundred thirty patients (50% [n=65] female; mean age: 9.8±3.7years, 48.5% [n=63] awake) were included. There were significant differences in mean motion scores between phases in the awake cohort (P<0.0001) but not in the general anesthesia cohort (P=0.051). In the awake cohort, arterial phase motion score (mean: 3.52±0.83) was significantly higher than mean motion score in all other phases (P≤0.0003). There were no significant patient-specific predictors of arterial phase motion score in the awake cohort. Significantly increased arterial phase respiratory motion artifact in awake children undergoing dynamic liver MR imaging with gadoxetate disodium suggests that transient respiratory motion occurs in children. General anesthesia may suppress this phenomenon.

Polysomnography outcomes in children with small tonsils undergoing drug-induced sleep endoscopy-directed surgery.

The optimal surgical treatment to improve sleep apnea in children with small tonsils is not known. Drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) may be useful in selecting effective surgical procedures for this patient population. This study compared polysomnography (PSG) measures before and after DISE-directed surgery in children with small tonsils. We hypothesize that DISE-directed surgery improves PSG measures in children with small tonsils. We also aimed to identify the most common surgery performed in this population. Retrospective chart review. A retrospective review was performed of subjects who underwent DISE at a single pediatric tertiary care center over a 6-year period. Inclusion criteria were 1+ tonsils and PSG performed before and after DISE-directed surgery. Exclusion criteria were previous tonsillectomy and tonsils score 2+ or greater. Pre- and postoperative PSG parameters were compared using paired t tests. Average age was 7 ± 4 years old at the time of surgery. The most common DISE-directed intervention was supraglottoplasty (n = 23). DISE-directed surgery significantly improved mean apnea-hypopnea index (AHI) from 14.4 to 8.0 (P = .02). Although improvements were seen in mean obstructive AHI (12.5 to 5.5), O2 nadir (87.0 to 88.3), and ODI (10.6 to 5.8), these measures did not reach statistical significance. DISE-directed surgery significantly improves AHI in children with small tonsils. The most common intervention performed on these children was supraglottoplasty. Interestingly, adenotonsillectomy was rarely performed in this cohort. Additionally, supraglottic collapse, prompting supraglottoplasty, is difficult to accurately assess in an awake child, supporting use of a DISE-directed approach in this patient population. 4 Laryngoscope, 129:2771-2774, 2019.

Emergency Physician–Administered Sedation for Pneumatic Reduction of Ileocolic Intussusception in Children: A Case Series

BackgroundIleocolic intussusception is a major cause for intestinal obstruction in early childhood. Reduction of intussusception, in the vast majority of institutions, is performed on awake children, without sedation. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to report the course of the first patients who were sedated by emergency physicians for pneumatic reduction of intussusception (PRI). MethodsWe conducted a case series analysis of prospectively collected data on patients undergoing PRI, using a sedation recording tool. This tool uses standardized definitions from the Quebec guidelines for terminology and reporting adverse events in emergency medicine. Recording of time interval measurements and adverse events was performed by the emergency physician and nurse. ResultsBetween February 2016 and March 2018, 11 males and 3 females, with a median age of 11 months (interquartile range [IQR] 6–20 months), underwent sedation for PRI by five attending pediatric emergency physicians. All of the reductions were successful and without complications. Eight patients received ketamine and propofol, 5 received ketamine, and 1 received ketamine and midazolam. Median times for the presedation phase, procedure, sedation, physiologic recovery and emergency department recovery were: 131 min (IQR 79–104 min), 10.5 min (IQR, 9–12 min), 21 min (IQR, 20–30 min), 25 min (IQR, 23–30 min), and 108 min (IQR, 82–161 min), respectively. Four respiratory adverse events that required intervention were recorded. All were effectively treated with airway repositioning, suctioning, oxygen administration, or bag-mask ventilation. ConclusionsThe first series of patients sedated for PRI by emergency physicians is reported. Our initial findings suggest the feasibility of emergency physician–administered sedation for PRI.

Identification of quality improvement areas in pediatric MRI from analysis of patient safety reports.

Analysis of safety reports has been utilized to guide practice improvement efforts in adult magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Data specific to pediatric MRI could help target areas of improvement in this population. To estimate the incidence of safety reports in pediatric MRI and to determine associated risk factors. In a retrospective HIPAA-compliant, institutional review board-approved study, a single-institution Radiology Information System was queried to identify MRI studies performed in pediatric patients (0-18years old) from 1/1/2010 to 12/31/2015. The safety report database was queried for events matching the same demographic and dates. Data on patient age, gender, location (inpatient, outpatient, emergency room [ER]), and the use of sedation/general anesthesia were recorded. Safety reports were grouped into categories based on the cause and their severity. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize continuous variables. Chi-square analyses were performed for univariate determination of statistical significance of variables associated with safety report rates. A multivariate logistic regression was used to control for possible confounding effects. A total of 16,749 pediatric MRI studies and 88 safety reports were analyzed, yielding a rate of 0.52%. There were significant differences in the rate of safety reports between patients younger than 6years (0.89%) and those older (0.41%) (P<0.01), sedated (0.8%) and awake children (0.45%) (P<0.01), and inpatients (1.1%) and outpatients (0.4%) (P<0.01). The use of sedation/general anesthesia is an independent risk factor for a safety report (P=0.02). The most common causes for safety reports were service coordination (34%), drug reactions (19%), and diagnostic test and ordering errors (11%). The overall rate of safety reports in pediatric MRI is 0.52%. Interventions should focus on vulnerable populations, such as younger patients, those requiring sedation, and those in need of acute medical attention.

Development of Auditory Evoked Responses in Normally Developing Preschool Children and Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder

The cortical responses to auditory stimuli undergo rapid and dramatic changes during the first 3 years of life in normally developing (ND) children, with decreases in latency and changes in amplitude in the primary peaks. However, most previous studies have focused on children >3 years of age. The analysis of data from the early stages of development is challenging because the temporal pattern of the evoked responses changes with age (e.g., additional peaks emerge with increasing age) and peak latency decreases with age. This study used the topography of the auditory evoked magnetic field (AEF) to identify the auditory components in ND children between 6 and 68 months (n = 48). The latencies of the peaks in the AEF produced by a tone burst (ISI 2 ± 0.2 s) during sleep decreased with age, consistent with previous reports in awake children. The peak latencies of the AEFs in ND children and children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) were compared. Previous studies indicate that the latencies of the initial components of the auditory evoked potential (AEP) and the AEF are delayed in children with ASD when compared to age-matched ND children >4 years of age. We speculated whether the AEF latencies decrease with age in children diagnosed with ASD as in ND children, but with uniformly longer latencies before the age of about 4 years. Contrary to this hypothesis, the peak latencies did not decrease with age in the ASD group (24-62 months, n = 16) during sleep (unlike in the age-matched controls), although the mean latencies were longer in the ASD group as in previous studies. These results are consistent with previous studies indicating delays in auditory latencies, and they indicate a different maturational pattern in ASD children and ND children. Longitudinal studies are needed to confirm whether the AEF latencies diverge with age, starting at around 3 years, in these 2 groups of children.

Sugammadex Efficacy for Rapid Reversal of Rocuronium Induced Neuromuscular Blockade in Pediatric Rigid Bronchoscopy Regardless the Depth of Anesthesia

Background: Bronchoscopy may be either rigid or flexible. Rigid bronchoscopy is usually done for diagnosis and treatment of intra and/or extra luminal obstruction in the airway for adults and children, anaesthesia for bronchoscopy poses unique challenges for the anaesthesiologist. This procedure needs specific technical precision because both the anaesthesiologist and operator share the same working space, that is, the airway. Pediatric rigid bronchoscopy needs a deep level of general anesthesia with a good (profound) muscle relaxation for a short time, with the modern anesthetic muscle relaxant rocuronium Bromide and its unique rapid onset it gives chance to be used in challenging airway procedures like rigid bronchoscopy and with the its newly advent of selective reversal, sugamadex, encourage its use in pediatric rigid bronchoscopy as it is usually performed for Foreign body removal. Aim: The aim of this study is to compare the efficacy of sugammadex and neostigmine for reversal of neuromuscular blockade induced by rocuronium for facilitating interventional rigid bronchoscopy and having awake child with good adequate muscle power and good ability to protect airway reflexes. Methods: This study was done on 100 patients ASA1-11 underwent rigid bronchoscopy for foreign body aspiration, we compared the efficiency of both neostigmine and the newly selective reversal agent; sugamadex in recovery of the patients, hemodynamics, and the presence of any side effects. Results: Our results showed that no significant changes between two groups in Table 1, Table 2, Table 3 i.e. heart rate, arterial blood pressure and O2 saturation (%) during all period of study i.e. Base line, Strating study drug, 2 min, 5 min, 10 min. But in Table 4, Table 5, Table 6 i.e. Time (in min) from administration at study drug until recovery (TOF>0.9) , extubation time in min (from administration at study drug until extubation), Recovery time (from administration at study drug until Aldrete score more than 9) the time was significantly shorter in group (1) when compared with group (2) which was (3.6 ± 2.6, 3.9 ± 2.6 and 7.3 ± 1.9) in group (1) and (15.12 ± 1.85, 15.85 ± 1.85 and 19.59 ± 2.3) in group (2). In Table 7, there was no significant difference in the side effects between both groups. Conclusion: Sugammadex achieved significantly faster recovery of rocuronium-induced neuromuscular block when compared with neostigmine regardless the depth of anesthesia. Serious adverse events were less than 1% of patients in both sugammadex and neostigmine, and data showed no differences in risk of serious adverse events between groups. sugammadex was well tolerated.

Dexmedetomidine sedation service for MRI in a UK paediatric teaching hospital

In light of the recent editorial on changing paediatric sedation practice 1, we would like to offer our comments and share our experience of starting a radiology sedation service using dexmedetomidine. The UK Activity Survey estimated that 10,000 children in the UK were sedated by anaesthetists, but was a survey of anaesthetist activity alone, and did not include the activity of dentists, gastro-enterologists, paediatricians (in radiology areas), or emergency physicians 2. We believe that a larger number of children were, and still are, sedated by non-anaesthetists, although we do not have data to quantify this. Secondly, we agree that the definitions of sedation do not help to describe a child who is asleep and remains undisturbed for a successful painless procedure. We do not agree, however, that they should be easily rousable. We have a long experience of managing small children with chloral hydrate safely and we do not truly know their depth of sedation during the scans, although we doubt that they are easily roused since many MRI sequences are stimulating. Thirdly, 10,000 children spread across the UK is a rather small workload for enabling anaesthetic trainees to gain experience. In our hospital, we do not teach sedation to our trainees because so few of us do it. Sedative premedication is not the same as sedation for a procedure, because each type of procedure has specific requirements. Emergency physicians require a range of sedation techniques and should have the skills to manage emergency situations. Gastro-enterologists have specific needs that may benefit from conventional anaesthesia drugs. Dentists are already organised and can teach us much about sedation. Nonetheless, anaesthetists can help to organise an effective sedation service carried out by non-anaesthetists. It is radiology departments that may benefit from our involvement with sedation and we agree with Dr. Bailey that dexmedetomidine could be extremely useful to them. Whilst dexmedetomidine has been in clinical use for well over a decade, it has only been available in the UK since October 2011 3. Despite a strong evidence base in support of the efficacy and safety of this drug 4, its uptake in the UK seems to be slower, possibly relating to its high cost. At our institution, dexmedetomidine has been available for clinical use since September 2013, and it has been available as an intranasal premedication since March 2015. We have successfully operated a nurse-led MRI sedation service using well established protocols since 1999 5. We have recently piloted intravenous dexmedetomidine as a sedative agent for 10 children undergoing MRI scans using the Boston sedation protocol (3 μg.kg−1 loading dose over 10 min, followed by 2 μg.kg−1.h−1 infusion) 6. Although currently supported by a specialist paediatric anaesthetist, our goal is to develop this into a nurse-led service. Since all children require intravenous access to proceed, and this is not always easy in the awake child, we do not anticipate this service replacing our general anaesthetic service but rather supporting it. As a tertiary paediatric institution, we have been particularly satisfied with the safety and efficacy of dexmedetomidine in these early phases of its introduction into our patient population, but we agree that larger trials are required to establish this, since most anaesthetic uses for this drug remain off-label. Like Dr. Bailey, we foresee a significant increase in its use in the UK and it is certain to change the practice of paediatric sedation.

Blood pressure and heart rates in neonates and preschool children: an analysis from 10 years of electronic recording.

An acceptable systolic or mean arterial blood pressure for children 0-6 years during anesthesia is unknown. Accepted blood pressures reported in standard charts for healthy awake children may not apply to those undergoing anesthesia. Our goal was to define observed blood pressures (BP) and heart rate (HR) in children 0-5 years during anesthesia. Data from the electronic health record database were available for a 10-year period from June 29, 2005 to July 22, 2015. A simple band-pass filter was applied to remove artifact in the physiologic time-series data for heart rate and blood pressure, with heart rate values 40 or above 250, mean or diastolic blood pressures below 20 or above 200, and systolic blood pressures below 30 or above 200 all excluded. For each anesthetic, the centiles of physiological variables (BP, HR) were calculated. Data were available for 54 896 anesthetics in children 6 years and younger. There were 898 anesthesia reports available that included blood pressure measures immediately before induction. A larger number of anesthesia records (n = 30 008) were available for intraoperative blood pressure recording. The BP decrease after anesthesia induction was most pronounced in infants 0-10 weeks of age where there was a mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) decrease of 16.6-34.5% (mean 28.6%). Systolic blood pressure decreased by 16.3-32.6% (mean 25.5%). Values above a systolic blood pressure of 60 mm Hg were only noted in half the neonates during anesthesia. Heart rates, both before and after anesthesia induction, were similar. Heart rate while under anesthesia appears a poor indicator for blood pressure changes. Recorded blood pressures in this current study, measured immediately before induction, were consistent with those in the literature. A mean MAP decrease of 28.6% was typical in those infants 0-10 weeks of age.

Auditory functional magnetic resonance in awake (nonsedated) and propofol-sedated children.

Functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging (fMRI) is often used in preoperative assessment before epilepsy surgery, tumor or cavernous malformation resection, or cochlear implantation. As it requires complete immobility, sedation is needed for uncooperative patients. The aim of this study was to compare the fMRI cortical activation pattern after auditory stimuli in propofol-sedated 5- to 8-year-old children with that of similarly aged nonsedated children. When possible, children underwent MRI without sedation, otherwise it was induced with i.v. propofol 2 mg·kg(-1) and maintained with i.v. propofol 4-5 mg·kg(-1) ·h(-1) . Following diagnostic MRI, fMRi was carried out, randomly alternating two passive listening tasks (a fairy-tale and nonsense syllables). We studied 14 awake and 15 sedated children. During the fairy-tale task, the nonsedated children's blood-oxygen-level-dependent (BOLD) signal was bilaterally present in the posterior superior temporal gyrus (STG), Wernicke's area, and Broca's area. Sedated children showed similar activation, with lesser extension to Wernicke's area, and no activation in Broca's area. During the syllable task, the nonsedated children's BOLD signal was bilaterally observed in the STG and Wernicke's area, in Broca's area with leftward asymmetry, and in the premotor area. In sedated children, cortical activation was present in the STG, but not in the frontal lobes. BOLD signal change areas in sedated children were less extended than in nonsedated children during both the fairy-tale and syllable tasks. Modeling the temporal derivative during both the fairy-tale and syllable tasks, nonsedated children showed no response while sedated children did. After auditory stimuli, propofol-sedated 5- to 8-year-old children exhibit an fMRI cortical activation pattern which is different from that in similarly aged nonsedated children.