[Anesthetic Management of Children with Upper Respiratory Tract Infections].

Abstract

Respiratory adverse events, such as cough, hypoxia, laryngospasm, bronchospasm and stridor, are major causes of morbidity and mortality during pediatric anesthesia. Since several studies have shown that upper respiratory tract infection is an independent risk factor for perioperative respiratory adverse events, children presenting for elective surgery with upper respiratory tract infection require a careful evaluation to decide whether or not to proceed with anesthesia. However, there are no standard guidelines to proceed with or postpone anesthesia, and thus the decision pro- cess is often based on unique institutional, patient, surgical, and social factors. Most of perioperative respira- tory adverse events can be anticipated, recognized, and treated easily, while laryngospasm and bronchospasm that can lead to oxygen desaturation and death are serious complications and their prevention and treat- ment are challenging. Anesthesiologists should be fa- miliarized with the prevention and treatment of peri- operative respiratory adverse events.