Age as a decisive factor in general anaesthesia use in paediatric proton beam therapy.

Proton therapy for paediatric cancer patients is an effective treatment; however, young children have may have difficulties staying still during irradiation. This study investigated the indication of general anaesthesia in paediatric proton therapy. Background information and anaesthesia/treatment protocols were retrospectively extracted from the medical records of cancer patients under 15 years who underwent proton therapy at Southern TOHOKU General Hospital, Fukushima, Japan between April 2016 and December 2018. The anaesthesia and non-anaesthesia groups were compared to evaluate factors determining the need for general anaesthesia. Thirty-two patients who received 285 irradiations were analysed. The median age was 5 years old (range: 1-15), and 13 patients (40.6%) were female. Twelve (37.5%) patients received general anaesthesia. In the general anaesthesia group, airway management using a laryngeal mask was performed in 11 patients (91.6%). Patient age was significantly lower in the general anaesthesia group than in the non-anaesthetised group (p < 0.001). Considering all background factors, only age was strongly associated with anaesthesia in the univariate logistic regression model (odds ratio 0.55 [95% confidence interval 0.35-0.86]; P < 0.01). Thus, age is one of the most important factors determining the need for general anaesthesia during proton therapy in children.

[Anesthetic practices and use of brain protective therapies for cerebral aneurysm surgery in Japan].

We surveyed anesthetic practices and the use of cerebral monitoring and brain protective therapies during cerebral aneurysm surgery by sending a questionnaire to 822 hospitals in Japan. Three hundred and fifty four hospitals responded. For induction, 51% used thiopental, 41% used propofol, and 94% supplemented induction with fentanyl. For maintenance 45% used isoflurane, 29% used sevoflurane, and 26% used propofol. Only 6% used EEG and/or evoked potentials in most of their patients. Specific brain protective measures were used in most of the hospitals. If used, 97% used mannitol, 43% used steroids and 23% used a certain level of induced hypothermia. When mild hypothermia was used, 39% used 33-34 degrees C, 59% used>34 degrees C, 2% used <33 degrees C, and only 4% used mild hypothermia in every patient. During temporary clipping, 18% kept the blood pressure equal to the level when awake, while 56% used induced hypotension. To control blood pressure during extubation, 72% used nicardipine or nitroglycerine. The use of intraoperative brain protective therapies were common but brain monitoring was not the standard.