Role of your child's anesthetist

Your child’s anaesthetist will aim to make this as safe and as comfortable an experience for your child as possible.

It is the job of your Specialist Anaesthetist to monitor your child carefully throughout his/her operation or procedure, making sure he/she is asleep, comfortable and safe. Your Anaesthetist will also look after pain relief and treat any nausea or vomiting that may occur soon after your child wake.

If you have any concerns about your child’s anaesthetic or any previous anaesthetics they have had, please discuss this with your Anaesthetist.

Preparing for your Procedure

INFORMATION

The Anaesthetist will ask you on the day about your child’s health – especially any recent colds or flues or asthma symptoms. The Anaesthetist also wants to know about any loose teeth which may be dislodged during the Anaesthetic.

MEDICATIONS

Bring an up-to-date medication list to hospital with you, or bring your medications with you if you prefer. If your child takes any regular medication or inhalers, it is usually best to take them on the day of surgery unless the surgeon or Admissions nurse has asked your child not to give them. Do tell your Anaesthetist if your child has any medication allergies.

FASTING GUIDELINE

Is it really necessary?

Although it is not pleasant going without food and drink, fasting before any anaesthetic is a MUST. Food or fluid in the stomach may regurgitate and be inhaled into your child’s lungs while he/she is unconscious which is VERY dangerous. You will be given instructions by your Surgeon or the hospital about when to start fasting. Please follow these instructions.

Two (2) hours for clear water

Water or clear liquid can be given 2 hours before surgery. Liquid that read though paper is called clear. No sugary drinks like carbonated drinks included.

Four (4) hours for breast milk

For an infant breast milk can be given 4 hours before the surgery

Six (6) hours for skimmed milk

Any other milk other than beast milk need 6 hours fasting before surgery

Six (6) hours for solids

Any solid food including chew in gum, toffies should be taken 6 hours before the surgery

On the Day of Surgery

The less anxious your child is, the more smoothly things will go. Even young children respond well to information about going to hospital. A few days before the procedure, give your child a simple explanation of the procedure. For young children, bringing special toys or comfort objects are a good idea. For older children, MP3 players, Game Boys or similar devices are encouraged.

A child is more likely to be distressed if a parent is very anxious. Being present when your child goes off to sleep is often helpful but may be upsetting for some parents. It is perfectly alright for you to choose not to be present at the start of anaesthesia if you feel you will have difficulty staying calm. However, the presence of a calm parent is often beneficial for your child. It is only possible for one parent to accompany the child into Theatre.

How do we get children to sleep?

Local anaesthetic cream is applied to the backs of the hands 30-60 minutes before their procedure. This allows you and the Anaesthetist to choose whether your child goes to sleep by the painless insertion of an intravenous needle for anaesthetic administration or by the child breathing anaesthetic gas from a face mask. There is no one best way- children react in their own way and we will use the method that seems to cause them the least amount of distress on the day.

After your Child’s Procedure

AFTER THE ANAESTHETIC
Your child will naturally feel drowsy for a little while. We will treat any symptoms such as a sore or dry throat, nausea or headache to have him/her feeling well again as soon as possible. It is common to have some dizziness, blurred vision or short-term memory loss which should all pass in a few hours. If your child experiences any symptoms that concern you, please phone our office or the hospital to discuss them.

PAIN RELIEF AT HOME
If it is likely that that there will be pain after leaving hospital, it is sensible to have Paracetamol/Panadol and perhaps also Ibuprofen available. If the surgeon thinks you will need stronger pain relief than this, it will be arranged before your child leaves hospital

Risks & Complications

Safest anaesthesia practices in the world is given by experienced team who has trained in Sri lanka as well as UK or Australia . Complications relatively lower since we look after you as a team before the operation, during and after the operation which is the international standard.

In Sri lanka, Consultant Anaesthetists are Specialist Doctors who undergo a minimum of 7 years training AFTER graduating as a Doctor to qualify as a Specialist Anaesthetist including 2 years of training in UK or Australia. This calculates to a minimum total of 12 years of intensive academic study and training.

Nevertheless, some patients are at increased risk of complications because of their own health problems e.g. heart disease, obesity or diabetes OR because of the type of surgery they are undergoing.

INFREQUENT complications include

· Bruising, pain or injury at the site of injections
· Muscle pains
· Asthmatic reactions
· Temporary nerve damage
· Damage to teeth or dental work
· Lip or tongue injury

VERY RARE serious complications including death could possibly occur but the chances of these are remote. If you would like to know more about these uncommon complications, please discuss these with your Anaesthetist.

Please keep your anaesthetist informed about any particular health issue(s) that may impact on your anaesthetic.