[Competitive new generation myorelaxants in pediatric neuroanesthesia]. / I miorilassanti competitivi di nuova generazione in neuroanestesia pediatrica.

Two groups of 50 children were included in a study to examine the use of atracurium and vecuronium. In both groups, newborns and infants showed a shorter onset time and a longer clinical duration of the first dose of the neuromuscular blocking drug. The duration of subsequent doses in the various age groups was not significantly different. Atracurium and vecuronium both have a short recovery index, good cardiovascular stability and do not interfere with ICP. The Authors emphasise the importance of monitoring the use of neuromuscular blocking drugs.

[Operative posture in pediatric neurosurgery]. / La postura operatoria in neurochirurgia pediatrica.

Proper placement of the pediatric neurosurgical patient is strictly correlated to age (newborn, toddler, infant, juvenile). Each age group is reviewed on the basis of different morphological and pathophysiological aspects of typical neurosurgical positions (prone, supine, sitting, lateral).

[New anesthetics and myorelaxants. The behavior of intracranial pressure in pediatrics]. / Nuovi anestetici e miorilassanti. Il comportamento della PIC in pediatria.

The authors, following a report on cerebral physiology in childhood, report their experience of ICP and the administration of new drugs in anaesthesiologic practice. The effects of isoflurane, propofol, atracurium, vecuronium on ICP are reported.

[An unusual case of atlanto-axial traumatic dislocation in a child]. / Un raro caso di dislocazione traumatica atlanto-assiale in un paziente in età pediatrica.

The authors refer about a rare case of traumatic atlo-axial dislocation observed three months after the accident. The traumatic etiology was caused by an episode of violence within child's family. The characteristic of the lesion, the months intervened since the traumatic accident, the involved health of the patient and the importance of neurological damage imposed the surgical corrective treatment of the lesion. The authors report about the care of the patient, particularly about the anesthesiological techniques and intensive care during the surgical treatment.

[Anesthesia in the diagnostic stages of cerebral arteriovenous malformations in children under 3 years of age]. / Anesthésie dans les étapes diagnostiques des malformations artério-veineuses cérébrales des enfants de moins de trois ans.

From 1974 through 1989, 36 patients with arteriovenous malformations were treated in the neuroradiological unit of the Santobono Children's Hospital, in Naples, 7 of these patients were younger than 3 years of age. During such a time-span, dramatic improvements in diagnostic work-up were jelded by introduction of CT-scan and MRI; better angiographic techniques, progress in anaesthesia drugs, equipment and procedures and more rational surgical modalities. Anaesthesia must be tailored in each patient with special consideration of the clinical and neurological conditions of the patients as well of the neuroradiological procedure, specifically, with minimal side effects on cardiovascular and respiratory functions as well on intracranial pressure. The present paper discuss of equipment for cardiovascular assistance and drugs to be employed in the various steps of the diagnostic work-up of such patients.