Pediatric Preoperative Program (POP)
About Anesthesia:Your Child is in Good Hands
Virtually all children undergoing surgery receive general anesthesia.
This means that they will sleep very deeply during the operation. They
will not awaken during surgery or have bad dreams, a common fear of even
small children.
Most children like to avoid needles, so we usually begin anesthesia
with a breathing mask. After the child is asleep, an intravenous needle
(IV) is inserted to give fluids and any additional drugs. However, some
children are afraid of the mask on their face and prefer the IV first, and
that's okay too. In our experienced hands, each of these techniques is
equally safe to maintain your child's sleep, we typically provide a
combination of inhaled gas and intravenous medications; the amount used
depends on the patient's approximate weight. While the child is asleep,
local anesthetics may be injected near the surgical site. This allows for
a less painful recovery period after the child awakes.
The risks of anesthesia vary little with the technique that is used.
The likelihood of encountering serious complications during routine
surgery is extremely low. Children may have minor discomforts such as a
sore throat and nausea.
More information
We are always happy to answer any of your questions; call us at
401-444-6030.
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