Anesthetic Management

The anaesthetic management of the paediatric patient for cardiac surgeryCardiac surgery begins with a comprehensive preoperative assessment and optimization; this optimization involves a team approach, with input from the anaesthetist, cardiologist, cardiac surgeon and intensivist. This patient population may require multiple anaesthetics and the aim is to make each experience as atraumatic as possible for the patient and entire family; premedication is routine. Any special surgical considerations are clarified prior to anaesthetic induction. Intraoperative goals are to achieve an adequate level of anaesthesia, while maintaining haemodynamic stability, and adequate analgesiaAnalgesia extending into the postoperativePostoperative period, without respiratory compromise. The current widespread use of dexmedetomidine, and the multimodal approach to pain managementPain management, including regional anaesthesia, facilitate successful intraoperative extubation and seamlessPaediatric cardiac anaesthesia transition to ICU.