Missed Opportunity for Initial Diagnosis in Children With Complex Appendicitis.

Objectives: Delayed diagnosis of acute appendicitis in children may result in complex appendicitis with appendiceal perforation. Delayed diagnosis can result from missed opportunity for initial diagnosis (MOID) despite medical attention. Studies report MOID of less than 5% in pediatric emergency departments (EDs), but we hypothesized that many MOID occurs outside tertiary care facilities.

Retrospective Cohort Study of Perioperative Complications in Symptomatic and Asymptomatic Children Testing SARS-CoV-2-Positive Within 21 Days Before Surgery.

Introduction: COVID-19 increases anesthetic risk in children, but understanding of complication differences by symptom presence and severity is limited. We hypothesized that symptomatic COVID-19+ children, especially with lower respiratory symptoms, would have higher perioperative complications than asymptomatic patients and that complications would be higher in all patients diagnosed < 6 days before anesthesia.

Methods: This single-center, retrospective cohort study reviewed records of children < 18 years old undergoing surgery with general anesthesia from March 1, 2020, to March 1, 2022, who tested COVID-19+.

The Use of Remimazolam During Awake Craniotomy for Seizure Foci Resection in Adolescents: A Case Series.

Remimazolam is a novel benzodiazepine with sedative, anxiolytic, and amnestic properties similar to midazolam. Metabolism by tissue esterases results in a short clinical half-life of 5 - 10 min and a limited context sensitive half-life. We present initial retrospective clinical experience with the use of remimazolam as an intraoperative adjunct to sedation during awake craniotomy in a cohort of three adolescent patients.

Pediatric Intraoperative Electromyographic Responses at the Adductor Pollicis and Flexor Hallucis Brevis Muscles: A Prospective, Comparative Analysis.

Background: Peripheral nerve stimulation with a train-of-four (TOF) pattern can be used intraoperatively to evaluate the depth of neuromuscular block and confirm recovery from neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs). Quantitative monitoring can be challenging in infants and children due to patient size, equipment technology, and limited access to monitoring sites. Although the adductor pollicis muscle is the preferred site of monitoring, the foot is an alternative when the hands are unavailable.

Tolerance to preoperative placement of electrodes for neuromuscular monitoring using the Tetragraph™.

Background: Quantitative train-of-four (TOF) monitoring has recently been shown to be feasible in infants and children using a novel electromyography (EMG)-based monitor with a pediatric-sized self-adhesive sensor. However, placement of the sensor and initiation of TOF monitoring may require additional time in the operating room (OR), delaying workflow and the time to induction of anesthesia. The current study evaluates the feasibility of placing the self-adhesive sensor in the preoperative holding area in pediatric patients before arrival to the OR.

Use of high-flow nasal cannula versus other noninvasive ventilation techniques or conventional oxygen therapy for respiratory support following pediatric cardiac surgery: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: Noninvasive respiratory support may be provided to decrease the risk of postextubation failure following surgery. Despite these efforts, approximately 3%-27% of infants and children still experience respiratory failure after tracheal extubation following cardiac surgery. This systematic review evaluates studies comparing the efficacy of high-flow nasal cannula to conventional oxygen therapy such as nasal cannula and other noninvasive ventilation techniques in preventing postextubation failure in this patient population.

Clinical experience with the use of inhaled isopropyl alcohol to treat nausea and vomiting: A narrative review.

Isopropyl alcohol (IA) is a colorless, flammable organic compound that has been used in the manufacturing process of a wide variety of industrial and household chemicals. Inhalation of its vapor has been noted to potentially have antiemetic effects, which may be useful in the treatment of postoperative nausea and vomiting (PONV). However, given the varied study protocols and endpoints assessing its efficacy as antiemetic, clinical trials have yielded mixed results.

Intraoperative electromyographic monitoring in children using a novel pediatric sensor.

Background: Train-of-four (TOF) monitoring is essential in optimizing perioperative outcomes as a means to assess the depth of neuromuscular blockade and confirm recovery following the administration of neuromuscular blocking agents (NMBAs). Quantitative TOF monitoring has been limited in infants and children primarily due to lack of effective equipment. The current study evaluates a novel electromyography (EMG)-based TOF monitor with a recently developed pediatric-sized self-adhesive sensor in infants and children.

Vial-splitting and Repackaging into Aliquot-specific Syringes: A Cost-effective and Waste-decreasing Strategy for Sugammadex.

Unlabelled: Sugammadex is a medication that may have cost considerations with the potential for waste of unused product in pediatric patients due to the vial size and its single-use limitation. Therefore, exploring the potential of vial-splitting for perioperative use may be beneficial.

Methods: The study was a retrospective, quality improvement study using the electronic medical record to identify every sugammadex administration over the last five years in a tertiary care pediatric institution.

Remimazolam as the Primary Agent for Sedation During Cardiac Catheterization in Three Patients With Comorbid Cardiac Conduction Abnormalities.

General anesthesia or procedural sedation may be required to ensure immobility, facilitate completion of the procedure, and ensure patient comfort during diagnostic or therapeutic procedures in the cardiac catheterization suite. Although propofol and dexmedetomidine are two of the more commonly chosen agents, concerns regarding their impact on inotropic, chronotropic or dromotropic function may limit their applicability based on underlying patient comorbid conditions. We present three patients with comorbid conditions involving pacemaker (natural or implanted) function or cardiac conduction which impacted the choice of agent for procedural sedation during procedures in the cardiac catheterization suite.