New Concepts and Techniques in Pediatric Anesthesia is an issue that will provide the reader with advances that have been made in multiple fields of pediatric anesthesia, including safety, pain management, psychologic preparation, and anesthetic techniques. So many times we who anesthetize children feel that pharmaceutical products, new techniques, and procedures are tested in the adult population first; therefore, specific guidelines for pediatric use are lacking or delayed. In this issue, however, we hope the reader discovers that information and guidelines also are available for these advances in pediatric patients.
It is imperative that anesthesiologists become familiar with disease processes and differences in response to medications caused by the patient’s age. Anesthesia for pediatric patients undergoing innovative procedures in the area of thoracic or neurosurgery requires special attention to the unique physiologic and anatomic differences seen in pediatric patients as opposed to adults. Regional anesthesia and analgesia discussions also provide information about new products, techniques, and safety.
An important section in this issue covers anesthesia outside the traditional operating room in remote and office-based settings. As our role expands with providing anesthesia services throughout the hospital, it is paramount that we become leaders in structuring guidelines for safe sedation in pediatric patients in all areas.
When dealing with minors, ethical dilemmas can arise involving parental and minor rights, and ways of resolving these issues are reviewed. Finally, it is hoped that the article on Anesthesia for Fetal Surgery will stimulate the reader’s imagination about life saving procedures for correction of congenital malformations that involve anesthesia for the fetus and mother. This article heralds new innovative procedures that in the future will further challenge us as anesthesiologists.
It is imperative that anesthesiologists become familiar with disease processes and differences in response to medications caused by the patient’s age. Anesthesia for pediatric patients undergoing innovative procedures in the area of thoracic or neurosurgery requires special attention to the unique physiologic and anatomic differences seen in pediatric patients as opposed to adults. Regional anesthesia and analgesia discussions also provide information about new products, techniques, and safety.
An important section in this issue covers anesthesia outside the traditional operating room in remote and office-based settings. As our role expands with providing anesthesia services throughout the hospital, it is paramount that we become leaders in structuring guidelines for safe sedation in pediatric patients in all areas.
When dealing with minors, ethical dilemmas can arise involving parental and minor rights, and ways of resolving these issues are reviewed. Finally, it is hoped that the article on Anesthesia for Fetal Surgery will stimulate the reader’s imagination about life saving procedures for correction of congenital malformations that involve anesthesia for the fetus and mother. This article heralds new innovative procedures that in the future will further challenge us as anesthesiologists.