Anesthetic concerns for pediatric patients in the era of COVID-19.

After a novel human coronavirus, severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), was reported in China in December 2019, the disease quickly reached pandemic level. On January 30, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) declared that the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak constituted a Public Health Emergency of International Concern. The caseload has increased exponentially, with WHO reporting 182 000 global cases by March 17, 2020, and over 2.6 million by 23 April. The clinical situation is complex, with children presenting different clinical features compared to adults. Several articles with recommendations on the anesthetic management of adult patients with COVID-19 have been published, but no specific recommendations for pediatric anesthesiologists have been made yet. This article addresses specific concerns for the anesthetic management of the pediatric population with COVID-19.

Environmental Impact of Adult Tonsillectomy: Life Cycle Assessment and Cost Comparison of Techniques.

OBJECTIVES: To quantify and compare the cost and environmental impact of different techniques for adult tonsillectomy surgery, and to identify target areas for impact reduction. METHODS: Fifteen consecutive adult tonsillectomy surgeries were prospectively randomized to one of three tonsillectomy techniques: cold, monopolar electrocautery, or low-temperature radiofrequency ablation (Coblation). Life cycle assessment was used to comprehensively evaluate the environmental impact of study surgeries. Outcomes assessed included multiple measures of environmental impact, including greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and cost. Environmental impact measures were analyzed to identify highest-yield areas for improvement, and outcomes were compared between surgical techniques using statistical analysis. RESULTS: GHG emissions for cold, monopolar electrocautery, and Coblation techniques were 157.6, 184.5, and 204.7 kilograms of carbon dioxide equivalents (kgCO2 -eq) per surgery, respectively, with costs totaling $472.51, $619.10, and $715.53 per surgery, respectively. Regardless of surgery technique, anesthesia medications and disposable equipment contributed most to environmental harm. Cold technique demonstrated reduced environmental impact related to disposable surgical equipment in the categories of greenhouse gas emissions, acidification of soil and water, eutrophication of air, ozone depletion, release of carcinogenic, and non-carcinogenic toxic substances, and respiratory pollutant production (p < 0.05 for all comparisons with other techniques). CONCLUSION: Within the boundaries of operating room processes, cold technique minimizes cost and environmental impact of adult tonsillectomy surgery, with statistical significance noted in the impact of disposable surgical equipment. Areas of highest potential for improvement identified include reducing use of disposable equipment and collaboration with the Anesthesiology care team to streamline medication use. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: 2, randomized trial Laryngoscope, 134:622-628, 2024.