Management of perioperative laryngospasm by French paediatric anaesthetists

Editor —Perioperative laryngospasm is a life-threating emergency in paediatric patients. A recent multicentre study of children undergoing surgery1 found a high rate of severe critical events during the perioperative period (5.2%), with an incidence of respiratory critical events of 3.1%. Laryngospasm was one of most frequent respiratory complications (0.2 –6.7%). Its effective management requires appropriate diagnosis, followed by prompt and aggressive management. The use of a structured algorithm would lead to earlier recognition and better management.2 We undertook a survey in order to explore the practical management of laryngospasm by French paediatric anaesthetists.
Source: British Journal of Anaesthesia - Category: Anesthesiology Source Type: research