A review of paediatric anaesthetic-related mortality, serious adverse events and critical incidents

Authors

  • Larissa Cronje University of KwaZulu-Natal

Keywords:

mortality, outcomes, paediatric anaesthesia, perioperative, risks

Abstract

Anaesthetists increasingly face questions from parents on the long-term outcomes of anaesthesia, and yet more immediate anaesthetic risks are not understood, nor explained to families. This review focused on paediatric anaesthetic-related mortality, cardiac arrest and anaesthetic-related serious adverse events and critical incidents during general anaesthesia, and within 24 hours of anaesthesia ending. Anaesthetic-related mortality is rare in the developed world, and is approximately 1 per 10 000 anaesthetics, but increases in high-risk children. Serious anaesthetic-related adverse events occur in 1.4 per 1 000 anaesthetics in the developed world. Data are lacking from the developing world but anaesthetic mortality is 2–3 times higher in middle-income countries and may be up to 100-fold greater in low-income countries. A critical incident occurs in 3–8% of anaesthetics and this figure is double that in low-income countries. Anaesthetic-related events are predominantly preventable. Brief recommendations on preventative strategies are made and research goals outlined. (Full text available online at www.medpharm.tandfonline.com/ojaa) South Afr J Anaesth Analg 2015; DOI: 10.1080/22201181.2015.1119503

Author Biography

Larissa Cronje, University of KwaZulu-Natal

Discipline of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care School of Clinical Medicine College of Health Sciences Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine University of KwaZulu-Natal Durban

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Published

2015-12-11

Issue

Section

Review Articles