The delivery and challenges of Pediatric Anesthesia within the humanitarian sector: Médecins Sans Frontières and Mercy Ships.

Access to healthcare is inequitable. Poverty, natural disasters and war disproportionally effect those most vulnerable, including children. Non-governmental organizations (NGO) hold a vital role in providing pediatric care in these contexts. Here we describe the delivery and challenges of Pediatric Anesthesia with two such non-governmental organizations; Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and Mercy Ships. Descriptions of both are followed by case studies.

Economic Case for Scale-up of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist at the National Level in Sub-Saharan Africa.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the economic case for nationwide scale-up of the World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist using cost-effectiveness and benefit-cost analyses. BACKGROUND: The Checklist improves surgical outcomes but the economic case for widespread use remains uncertain. For perioperative quality improvement interventions to compete successfully against other worthwhile health and nonhealth interventions for limited government resources they must demonstrate cost-effectiveness and positive societal benefit. METHODS: Using data from 3 countries, we estimated the benefits as the total years of life lost (YLL) due to postoperative mortality averted over a 3 year period; converted the benefits to dollar equivalent values using estimates of the economic value of an additional year of life expectancy; estimated total implementation costs; and determined incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) and benefit-cost ratio (BCR). Costs are reported in international dollars using Word Bank purchasing power parity conversion factors at 2016 price-levels. RESULTS: In Benin, Cameroon, and Madagascar ICERs were: $31, $138, and $118 per additional YLL averted; and BCRs were 62, 29, and 9, respectively. Sensitivity analysis demonstrated that the associated mortality reduction and increased usage due to Checklist scale-up would need to deviate approximately 10-fold from published data to change our main interpretations. CONCLUSIONS: According to WHO criteria, Checklist scale-up is considered "very cost-effective" and for every $ 1 spent the potential return on investment is $9 to $62. These results compare favorably with other health and nonhealth interventions and support the economic argument for investing in Checklist scale-up as part of a national strategy for improving surgical outcomes.

Implementation Strategies and the Uptake of the World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist in Low and Middle Income Countries: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To identify the implementation strategies used in World Health Organization Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) uptake in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs); examine any association of implementation strategies with implementation effectiveness; and to assess the clinical impact. BACKGROUND: The SSC is associated with improved surgical outcomes but effective implementation strategies are poorly understood. METHODS: We searched the Cochrane library, MEDLINE, EMBASE and PsycINFO from June 2008 to February 2019 and included primary studies on SSC use in LMICs. Coprimary objectives were identification of implementation strategies used and evaluation of associations between strategies and implementation effectiveness. To assess the clinical impact of the SSC, we estimated overall pooled relative risks for mortality and morbidity. The study was registered on PROSPERO (CRD42018100034). RESULTS: We screened 1562 citations and included 47 papers. Median number of discrete implementation strategies used per study was 4 (IQR: 1-14, range 0-28). No strategies were identified in 12 studies. SSC implementation occurred with high penetration (81%, SD 20%) and fidelity (85%, SD 13%), but we did not detect an association between implementation strategies and implementation outcomes. SSC use was associated with a reduction in mortality (RR 0.77; 95% CI 0.67-0.89), all complications (RR 0.56; 95% CI 0.45-0.71) and infectious complications (RR 0.44; 95% CI 0.37-0.52). CONCLUSIONS: The SSC is used with high fidelity and penetration is associated with improved clinical outcomes in LMICs. Implementation appears well supported by a small number of tailored strategies. Further application of implementation science methodology is required among the global surgical community.

Using the Knowledge to Action Framework to Describe a Nationwide Implementation of the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist in Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Surgical safety has advanced rapidly with evidence of improved patient outcomes through structural and process interventions. However, knowledge of how to apply these interventions successfully and sustainably at scale is often lacking. The 2019 Global Ministerial Patient Safety Summit called for a focus on implementation strategies to maintain momentum in patient safety improvements, especially in low- and middle-income settings. This study uses an implementation framework, knowledge to action, to examine a model of nationwide World Health Organization (WHO) Surgical Safety Checklist implementation in Cameroon. Cameroon is a lower-middle-income country, and based on data from high- and low-income countries, we hypothesized that more than 50% of participants would be using the checklist (penetration) in the correct manner (fidelity) 4 months postintervention. METHODS: A collaboration of 3 stakeholders (Ministry of Health, academic institution, and nongovernmental organization) used a prospective observational design. Based on knowledge to action, there were 3 phases to the study implementation: problem identification (lack of routine checklist use in Cameroonian hospitals), multifaceted implementation strategy (3-day multidisciplinary training course, coaching, facilitated leadership engagement, and support networks), and outcome evaluation 4 months postintervention. Validated implementation outcomes were assessed. Primary outcomes were checklist use (penetration) and fidelity; secondary outcomes were perioperative teams' reactions, learning and behavior change; and tertiary outcomes were perioperative teams' acceptability of the checklist. RESULTS: Three hundred and fifty-one operating room staff members from 25 hospitals received training. Median time to evaluation was 4.5 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 4.5-5.5, range 3-7); checklist use (penetration) increased from 20% (95% confidence interval [CI], 16-25) to 56% (95% CI, 49-63); fidelity for adherence to 6 basic safety processes was high: verification of patient identification was 91% (95% CI, 87-95); risk assessment for difficult intubation was 79% (95% CI, 73-85): risk assessment for blood loss was 88% (95% CI, 83-93) use of pulse oximetry was 93% (95% CI, 90-97); antibiotic administration was 95% (95% CI, 91-98); surgical counting was 89% (95% CI, 84-93); and fidelity for nontechnical skills measured by the WHO Behaviorally Anchored Rating Scale was 4.5 of 7 (95% CI, 3.5-5.4). Median scores for all secondary outcomes were 10/10, and 7 acceptability measures were consistently more than 70%. CONCLUSIONS: This study shows that a multifaceted implementation strategy is associated with successful checklist implementation in a lower-middle-income country such as Cameroon, and suggests that a theoretical framework can be used to practically drive nationwide scale-up of checklist use.

A Mixed-Method Design Evaluation of the SAFE Obstetric Anaesthesia Course at 4 and 12-18 Months After Training in the Republic of Congo and Madagascar.

BACKGROUND: Maternal mortality in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) is higher than in high-income countries (HICs), and poor anesthesia care is a contributing factor. Many anesthesia complications are considered preventable with adequate training. The Safer Anaesthesia From Education Obstetric Anaesthesia (SAFE-OB) course was designed as a refresher course to upgrade the skills of anesthesia providers in low-income countries, but little is known about the long-term impact of the course on changes in practice. We report changes in practice at 4 and 12-18 months after SAFE-OB courses in Madagascar and the Republic of Congo. METHODS: We used a concurrent embedded mixed-methods design based on the Kirkpatrick model for evaluating educational training courses. The primary outcome was qualitative determination of personal and organizational change at 4 months and 12-18 months. Secondary outcomes were quantitative evaluations of knowledge and skill retention over time. From 2014 to 2016, 213 participants participated in 5 SAFE-OB courses in 2 countries. Semistructured interviews were conducted at 4 and 12-18 months using purposive sampling and analyzed using thematic content analysis. Participants underwent baseline knowledge and skill assessment, with 1 cohort reevaluated using repeat knowledge and skills tests at 4 months and another at 12-18 months. RESULTS: At 4 months, 2 themes of practice change (Kirkpatrick level 3) emerged that were not present at 12-18 months: neonatal resuscitation and airway management. At 12-18 months, 4 themes emerged: management of obstetric hemorrhage, management of eclampsia, using a structured approach to assessing a pregnant woman, and management of spinal anesthesia. With respect to organizational culture change (Kirkpatrick level 4), the same 3 themes emerged at both 4 and 12-18 months: improved teamwork, communication, and preparation. Resistance from peers, lack of senior support, and lack of resources were cited as barriers to change at 4 months, but at 12-18 months, very few interviewees mentioned lack of resources. Identified catalysts for change were self-motivation, credibility, peer support, and senior support. Knowledge and skills tests both showed an immediate improvement after the course that was sustained. This supports the qualitative responses suggesting personal and organizational change. CONCLUSIONS: Participation at a SAFE-OB course in the Republic of Congo and in Madagascar was associated with personal and organizational changes in practice and sustained improvements in knowledge and skill at 12-18 months.

Clinical Outcome, Social Impact and Patient Expectation: a Purposive Sampling Pilot Evaluation of Patients in Benin Seven Years After Surgery.

BACKGROUND: Access to affordable and timely surgery is not equitable around the world. Five billion people lack access, and while non-governmental organizations (NGOs) help to meet this need, long-term surgical outcomes, social impact or patient experience is rarely reported. METHOD: In 2016, Mercy Ships, a surgical NGO, undertook an evaluation of patients who had received surgery seven years earlier with Mercy Ships in 2009 in Benin. Using purposive sampling, patients who had received maxillofacial, plastics or orthopedic surgery were invited to attend a surgical evaluation day. In this pilot study, we used semi-structured interviews and questionnaire responses to assess patient expectation, surgical and social outcome. RESULTS: Our results show that seven years after surgery 35% of patients report surgery-related pain and 18% had sought further care for a clinical complication of their condition. However, 73% of patients report gaining social benefit from surgery, and overall patient satisfaction was 89%, despite 35% of patients saying that they were unclear what to expect after surgery indicating a mismatch of doctor/patient expectations and failure of the consent process. CONCLUSION: In conclusion, our pilot study shows that NGO surgery in Benin provided positive social impact associated with complication rates comparable to high-income countries when assessed seven years later. Key areas for further study in LMICs are: evaluation and treatment of chronic pain, consent and access to further care.

A Prospective Observational Study of Anesthesia-Related Adverse Events and Postoperative Complications Occurring During a Surgical Mission in Madagascar.

BACKGROUND: Two-thirds of the world's population lack access to safe anesthesia and surgical care. Nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) play an important role in bridging the gap, but surgical outcomes vary. After complex surgeries, up to 20-fold higher postoperative complication rates are reported and the reasons for poor outcomes are undefined. Little is known concerning the incidence of anesthesia complications. Mercy Ships uses fully trained staff, and infrastructure and equipment resources similar to that of high-income countries, allowing the influence of these factors to be disentangled from patient factors when evaluating anesthesia and surgical outcomes after NGO sponsored surgery. We aimed to estimate the incidence of anesthesia-related and postoperative complications during a 2-year surgical mission in Madagascar. METHODS: As part of quality assurance and participation in a new American Society of Anesthesiologists Anesthesia Quality Institute sponsored NGO Outcomes registry, Mercy Ships prospectively recorded anesthesia-related adverse events. Adverse events were grouped into 6 categories: airway, cardiac, medication, regional, neurological, and equipment. Postoperative complications were predefined as 16 adverse events and graded for patient impact using the Dindo-Clavien classification. RESULTS: Data were evaluated for 2037 episodes of surgical care. The overall anesthesia adverse event rate was 2.0% (confidence interval [CI], 1.4-2.6). The majority (85% CI, 74-96) of adverse events occurred intraoperatively with 15% (CI, 3-26) occurring in postanesthesia care unit. The most common intraoperative adverse event, occurring 7 times, was failed regional (spinal) anesthesia that was due to unexpectedly long surgery in 6 cases; bronchospasm and arrhythmias were the second most common, occurring 5 times each. There were 217 postoperative complications in 191 patients giving an overall complication rate of 10.7% (CI, 9.3-12.0) per surgery and 9.4% (CI, 8.1-10.7) per patient. The most common postoperative complication was unexpected return to the operating room and the second most common was surgical site infection (39.2%; CI, 37.0-41.3 and 33.2%; CI, 31.1-35.3 of all complications, respectively). The most common (42.9%; CI, 40.7-45.1) grade of complication was grade II. There was 1 death. CONCLUSIONS: This study adds to the scarce literature on anesthesia outcomes after mission surgery in low- and middle-income countries. We join others in calling for an international NGO anesthesia and surgical outcome registry and for all surgical NGOs to adopt international standards for the safe practice of anesthesia.

Measurement of patient reported disability using WHODAS 2.0 before and after surgical intervention in Madagascar.

BACKGROUND: Patient reported outcomes (PRO) measure the quality of care from the patient's perspective. PROs are an important measure of surgical outcome and can be used to calculate health gains after surgical treatment. The World Health Organisation Disability Assessment Schedule (WHODAS) 2.0 is a PRO used to evaluate pre and post-operative disability across a range of surgical specialities. In this study, Mercy Ships, a non-governmental organisation (NGO), used WHODAS 2.0 to evaluate patient reported disability in 401 consecutive patients in Madagascar. We hypothesised that surgical interventions would decrease pre-operative patient reported disability across a range of specialties (maxillofacial, plastic, orthopaedic, general and obstetric fistula surgery). METHOD: WHODAS 2.0 was administered preoperatively by face-to-face interview, and at 3 months post-operatively by telephone. Demographic data, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) physical classification score, duration of surgery, length of hospital stay, and in-hospital post-operative complications were collected from a separately maintained patient database. The primary outcome measure was difference in pre- and post-operative WHODAS 2.0 scores. RESULTS: No differences were seen between the two groups in preoperative disability (p = 0.25), ASA score (p = 0.46), or duration of surgery (p = 0.85). At 3 months 44% (176/401) of patients were available for telephone for postoperative evaluation. All had a significant reduction in their disability score from 8.4% to 1.0% (p < 0.001), 17 experienced a post-operative complication, but none had residual disability and there were no deaths. The group lost to follow-up were more likely to be female (65% versus 50%, p < 0.05), were younger (mean age 31 versus 35, p < 0.05), had longer hospital stays (10 versus 4 days, p < 0.001), and were more likely to have experienced post-operative complications (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: This study demonstrates that surgical intervention in a LMIC decreases patient reported disability as measured by WHODAS 2.0.

Effect of Pre-operative Anaemia on Post-operative Complications in Low-Resource Settings.

BACKGROUND: In high-resource settings, even mild anaemia is associated with an increased risk of post-operative complications. Whether this is true in low-resource settings is unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effect of anaemia on surgical outcomes in the Republic of Congo and Madagascar. METHOD: It is a retrospective chart review of 2064 non-pregnant patients undergoing elective surgery with Mercy Ships. Logistic regression was used to determine the association between pre-operative anaemia and pre-defined surgical complications, adjusted for age, gender, surgical specialty, and country. RESULTS: The average age of patients was 27.2 years; 56.7% were male. Sixty-two percent of patients were not anaemic, and 22.7, 13.9 and 1.4% met sex-related criteria for mild, moderate and severe anaemia, respectively. In adjusted analyses, the severe anaemia group had an 8.58 [3.65, 19.49] higher odds of experiencing any surgical complication (p < 0.001) compared to non-anaemic patients. Analysis of each complication showed a 33.13 [9.57, 110.39] higher odds of unexpected ICU admission (p < 0.001); a 7.29 [1.98, 21.45] higher odds of surgical site infection (p < 0.001); and 7.48 [1.79, 25.78] higher odds of requiring hospital readmission (p < 0.001). Evaluating other anaemia categories, only those with moderate anaemia had a higher risk of requiring ICU admission (odds ratio 2.75 [1.00, 7.04], p = 0.04) compared to those without anaemia. CONCLUSION: Our results indicate that in low-income settings, severe anaemia is associated with an increased risk of post-operative complications including unexpected ICU admission, surgical site infection and hospital readmission, whereas mild anaemia was not associated with increased post-operative complications.

An Evaluation of Preparedness, Delivery and Impact of Surgical and Anesthesia Care in Madagascar: A Framework for a National Surgical Plan.

BACKGROUND: The Lancet Commission on Global Surgery (LCoGS) described the lack of access to safe, affordable, timely surgical, and anesthesia care. It proposed a series of 6 indicators to measure surgery, accompanied by time-bound targets and a template for national surgical planning. To date, no sub-Saharan African country has completed and published a nationwide evaluation of its surgical system within this framework. METHOD: Mercy Ships, in partnership with Harvard Medical School and the Madagascar Ministry of Health, collected data on the 6 indicators from 22 referral hospitals in 16 out of 22 regions of Madagascar. Data collection was by semi-structured interviews with ministerial, medical, laboratory, pharmacy, and administrative representatives in each region. Microsimulation modeling was used to calculate values for financial indicators. RESULTS: In Madagascar, 29% of the population can access a surgical facility within 2 h. Surgical workforce density is 0.78 providers per 100,000 and annual surgical volume is 135-191 procedures per 100,000 with a perioperative mortality rate of 2.5-3.3%. Patients requiring surgery have a 77.4-86.3 and 78.8-95.1% risk of incurring impoverishing and catastrophic expenditure, respectively. Of the six LCoGS indicator targets, Madagascar meets one, the reporting of perioperative mortality rate. CONCLUSION: Compared to the LCoGS targets, Madagascar has deficits in surgical access, workforce, volume, and the ability to offer financial risk protection to surgical patients. Its perioperative mortality rate, however, appears better than in comparable countries. The government is committed to improvement, and key stakeholder meetings to create a national surgical plan have begun.

An Observational Assessment of Anesthesia Capacity in Madagascar as a Prerequisite to the Development of a National Surgical Plan.

BACKGROUND: The global lack of anesthesia capacity is well described, but country-specific data are needed to provide country-specific solutions. We aimed to assess anesthesia capacity in Madagascar as part of the development of a Ministry of Health national surgical plan. METHODS: As part of a nationwide surgical safety quality improvement project, we surveyed 19 of 22 regional hospitals, representing surgical facilities caring for 75% of the total population. The assessment was divided into 3 areas: anesthesia workforce density, infrastructure and equipment, and medications. Data were obtained by semistructured interviews with Ministry of Health officials, hospital directors, technical directors, statisticians, pharmacists, and anesthesia providers and through on-site observations. Interview questions were adapted from the World Health Organization Situational Analysis Tool and the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists International Standards for Safe Practice of Anaesthesia. Additional data on workforce density were collected from the 3 remaining regions so that workforce density data are representative of all 22 regions. RESULTS: Anesthesia physician workforce density is 0.26 per 100,000 population and 0.19 per 100,000 outside of the capital region. Less than 50% of hospitals surveyed reported having a reliable electricity and oxygen supply. The majority of anesthesia providers work without pulse oximetry (52%) or a functioning vaporizer (52%). All the hospitals surveyed had very basic pediatric supplies, and none had a pediatric pulse oximetry probe. Ketamine is universally available but more than 50% of hospitals lack access to opioids. None of the 19 regional hospitals surveyed was able to completely meet the World Federation of Societies of Anaesthesiologists' standards for monitoring. CONCLUSIONS: Improving anesthesia care is complex. Capacity assessment is a first step that would enable progress to be tracked against specific targets. In Madagascar, scale-up of the anesthesia workforce, investment in infrastructure and equipment, and improvement in medication supply-chain management are needed to attain minimal international standards. Data from this study were presented to the Ministry of Health for inclusion in the development of a national surgical plan, together with recommendations for the needed improvements in the delivery of anesthesia.

Interval follow up of a 4-day pilot program to implement the WHO surgical safety checklist at a Congolese hospital.

BACKGROUND: The World Health Organisation Surgical Safety Checklist (SSC) improves surgical outcomes and the research question is no longer 'does the SSC work?' but, 'how to make the SSC work?' Evidence for implementation strategies in low-income countries is sparse and existing strategies are heavily based on long-term external support. Short but effective implementation programs are required if widespread scale up is to be achieved. We designed and delivered a four-day pilot SSC training course at a single hospital centre in the Republic of Congo, and evaluated the implementation after one year. We hypothesised that participants would still be using the checklist over 50% of the time. METHOD: We taught the four-day SSC training course at Dolisie hospital in February 2014, and undertook a mixed methods impact evaluation based on the Kirkpatrick model in May 2015. SSC implementation was evaluated using self-reported questionnaire with a 3 point Likert scale to assess six key process measures. Learning, behaviour, organisational change and facilitators and inhibitors to change were evaluated with questionnaires, interviews and focus group discussion. RESULTS: Seventeen individuals participated in the training and seven (40%) were available for impact evaluation at 15 months. No participant had used the SSC prior to training. Over half the participants were following the six processes measures always or most of the time: confirmation of patient identity and the surgical procedure (57%), assessment of difficult intubation risk (72%), assessment of the risk of major blood loss (86%), antibiotic prophylaxis given before skin incision (86%), use of a pulse oximeter (86%), and counting sponges and instruments (71%). All participants reported positive improvements in teamwork, organisation and safe anesthesia. Most participants reported they worked in helpful, supportive and respectful atmosphere; and could speak up if they saw something that might harm a patient. However, less than half felt able to challenge those in authority. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrates that a 4-day pilot course for SSC implementation resulted in over 50% of participants using the SSC at 15 months, positive changes in learning, behaviour and organisational change, but less impact on hierarchical culture. The next step is to test our novel implementation strategy in a larger hospital setting.

An update on newer pediatric supraglottic airways with recommendations for clinical use.

Supraglottic airways are an established part of routine and emergency pediatric airway management, including use in difficult airways and neonatal resuscitation. With the introduction of newer supraglottic airways in children, efficacy can only be determined by comparing these devices with those that are already well established (laryngeal mask airway Classic and laryngeal mask airway ProSeal). This narrative review aims to present the current literature on these newer supraglottic airways and give recommendations for their use in various clinical scenarios based on the existing evidence.

Current UK practice of pediatric supraglottic airway devices - a survey of members of the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland.

OBJECTIVES: Over half of general anesthetics in the UK involve supraglottic airway devices (SADs). The National Audit Project 4 undertaken by the Royal College of Anaesthetists demonstrated that aspiration was the most frequent complication relating to SAD use. SADs designed to reduce this risk (second-generation devices) are increasingly recommended in both adults and children. As well as routine use, SADs are recommended for use in cases of 'difficult airway'. This survey assessed current usage of SADs in routine practice and difficult airways. Sixteen questions, approved by the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland (APAGBI) survey committee, were distributed to all its members. RESULTS: Two hundred and forty-four members responded. Eighty-eight percent preferentially use first-generation rather than second-generation devices. The most important design feature was the availability of a complete range of sizes (84%). Seventy-seven percent felt that randomized controlled trials assessing SAD safety in children are needed. In cases of failed intubation, classically shaped SADs are preferred (79%). Three percent of responders intubate via an SAD routinely. Eighteen percent have employed this technique in an emergency. Thirty-six percent of responders have found an SAD to function poorly. CONCLUSION: Pediatric anesthesiologists appear slow to embrace second-generation SADs. The role of SADs in the management of difficult airways is widely accepted. Research currently has little influence over the choice of which SAD to use, which is more likely determined by personal choice and departmental preference. There is a risk that some SADs are unsafe.

Scaling up of safety and quality improvement interventions in perioperative care: a systematic scoping review of implementation strategies and effectiveness.

BACKGROUND: Globally, 5 billion people lack access to safe surgical care with more deaths due to lack of quality care rather than lack of access. While many proven quality improvement (QI) interventions exist in high-income countries, implementing them in low/middle-income countries (LMICs) faces further challenges. Currently, theory-driven, systematically articulated knowledge of the factors that support successful scale-up of QI in perioperative care in these settings is lacking. We aimed to identify all perioperative safety and QI interventions applied at scale in LMICs and evaluate their implementation mechanisms using implementation theory. METHODS: Systematic scoping review of perioperative QI interventions in LMICs from 1960 to 2020. Studies were identified through Medline, EMBASE and Google Scholar. Data were extracted in two phases: (1) abstract review to identify the range of QI interventions; (2) studies describing scale-up (three or more sites), had full texts retrieved and analysed for; implementation strategies and scale-up frameworks used; and implementation outcomes reported. RESULTS: We screened 45 128 articles, identifying 137 studies describing perioperative QI interventions across 47 countries. Only 31 of 137 (23%) articles reported scale-up with the most common intervention being the WHO Surgical Safety Checklist. The most common implementation strategies were training and educating stakeholders, developing stakeholder relationships, and using evaluative and iterative strategies. Reporting of implementation mechanisms was generally poor; and although the components of scale-up frameworks were reported, relevant frameworks were rarely referenced. CONCLUSION: Many studies report implementation of QI interventions, but few report successful scale-up from single to multiple-site implementation. Greater use of implementation science methodology may help determine what works, where and why, thereby aiding more widespread scale-up and dissemination of perioperative QI interventions.

Approach to managing children with heart disease for noncardiac surgery.

Congenital heart disease is the commonest birth defect, and advances in modern medicine mean 90% of these children now survive to adulthood. Therefore, many children present to their local hospital requiring general anesthesia for common childhood conditions. They pose a challenge for anesthesia because perioperative morbidity and mortality is greater compared with other children. It is impossible to prescribe a formula for anesthetizing children with heart disease because of the complexity of heart defects and the variety of noncardiac surgery. There is also a lack of high-quality data of efficacy of one anesthetic technique over another. Much data come from case series or isolated case reports. In a rapidly advancing field such as cardiac surgery, studies of long-term complications may be out of date by the time they are published, limiting applicability of the results. Because of these factors, claims of efficacy and safety of various approaches to managing children with heart disease for noncardiac surgery must be interpreted cautiously. This narrative review aims to present the evidence concerning a range of anesthetic techniques, the long-term complications of congenital heart disease and suggest a physiological and evidence-based approach to managing these children.

Pain management in 100 episodes of severe mucositis in children.

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to review the pain management in 100 episodes of severe mucositis in children and determine the incidence of associated side effects. BACKGROUND: Mucositis is a painful, debilitating condition affecting the alimentary mucosa and occurs following many anticancer treatments. Severe pain associated with mucositis may necessitate reductions, delays or termination of anticancer therapy and so intravenous morphine, preferably by patient-controlled analgesia (PCA) is the treatment of choice. METHODS: Retrospective review of consecutive episodes of mucositis in children requiring intravenous opioid analgesia over a 3-year period (May 2006-April 2009). RESULTS: In 24/92 (26%) of cases, morphine PCA provided insufficient pain relief and children required adjuvant ketamine therapy. These children had rapidly increasing morphine requirements approaching 1000 mcg/kg/day by day 2 (more than double compared with children on morphine alone), were more likely to be female, and tended to be older (median [IQR] age 12 [6-12] years vs 7 [3-14] years). The addition of ketamine to the morphine PCA appears to be associated with reduced morphine consumption, improved pain scores, causing minimal side effects and no hallucinations. CONCLUSIONS: Children with severe mucositis who have escalating morphine requirements may benefit from the addition of ketamine to their morphine PCA.

Dose-dependent suppression of the electrically elicited stapedius reflex by general anesthetics in children undergoing cochlear implant surgery.

BACKGROUND: Cochlear implants stimulate the auditory nerve to enable hearing. Determining appropriate upper and lower limits of stimulation is essential for successful cochlear implantation. The intraoperative evoked stapedius reflex threshold (ESRT) and evoked compound action potential (ECAP) are commonly used to determine the limits of implant stimulation. In this study, we evaluated the dose-related effects of sevoflurane, desflurane, isoflurane, and propofol on the intraoperative ESRT and ECAP. METHODS: Forty-four children aged 6 mo to 17 yr undergoing cochlear implantation were recruited. Each child was randomly assigned to receive sevoflurane, desflurane, isoflurane, or propofol. Evoked responses were measured by a blinded investigator at end-tidal anesthetic concentrations corresponding to 0, 0.75, and 1.5 age-adjusted minimum alveolar concentration administered in random sequence and at targeted blood concentrations of propofol of 0, 1.5, and 3.0 microg/mL. Data were analyzed using one-way repeated-measures analysis of variance. P < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: The ESRT increased dose dependently with increasing volatile anesthetic concentration (P < 0.01). The stapedius reflex was completely abolished by volatile anesthesia in more than half of children. Propofol minimally affected the ESRT. In contrast, the ECAP was unaffected by anesthesia. CONCLUSIONS: Volatile anesthetics suppress the stapedius reflex in a dose-dependent manner, suggesting that ESRT measurements acquired during volatile anesthesia will overestimate the maximum comfort level, which may cause discomfort postoperatively and adversely affect the child's adaptation to the implant. We advise against the use of volatile anesthetics for measurement of the stapedius reflex threshold during cochlear implant surgery.

A critique of elective pediatric supraglottic airway devices.

In 1988, when the Laryngeal Mask Airway-Classic (Intavent Orthofix, Maidenhead, UK), was introduced there were only two choices of airway management: tracheal tube or facemask. The supraglottic airway, as we now understand the term, did not exist. Yet, 20 years later, we are faced with an ever increasing choice of supraglottic airway devices (SAD). For many SADs, with the exception of the LMA-Classic and LMA-Proseal (Intavent Orthofix, Maidenhead, UK), there is a lack of high quality data of efficacy. The best evidence requires a randomized controlled trial comparing a new device against an established alternative, properly powered to detect clinically relevant differences in clinically important outcomes. Such studies in children are very rare. Safety data is even harder to establish particularly for rare events such as aspiration. Therefore, most safety data comes from extended use rather than high quality evidence which inevitably biases against newer devices. For reason of these factors, claims of efficacy and particularly safety must be interpreted cautiously. This narrative review aims to present the evidence surrounding the use of currently available pediatric SADs in routine anesthetic practice.