Regresar

Anesthesia for premature infants

Abstract:

The premature infant frequently requires anesthetic care for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures to optimize the outcomes of the problems frequently associated with premature birth and low birthweight. This chapter reviews the common problems of prematurity by systems, including temperature homeostasis, lung disease, cardiovascular disease including patent ductus arteriosus, infection, necrotizing enterocolitis, central nervous system disorders, and then discusses the preoperative evaluation and preparation of these patients for anesthesia and surgery. The induction, maintenance, and recovery from anesthesia are then discussed, with a special emphasis on temperature homeostasis, monitoring the premature infant, and hemodynamic lability accompanying volume shifts.