Respiratory 
complications after general Anesthesia in pediatric patients with mild upper respiratory tract infection

Keimyung Medical Journal 2001;20(2):165-171.

Respiratory complications after general Anesthesia in pediatric patients with mild upper respiratory tract infection

경한 상기도 감염이 있는 소아 환자에서 전신마취 후 호흡 합병증

장영호

Abstract

Anesthesiologists frequently face with the problem of a child with an upper respiratory infection (URI). This is the major cause of cancellation in pediatric anesthesia; because URI may increase various respiratory complications. Fifty pediatric patients under 7 years old with mild URI were studied to investigate the prevalence of postoperative respiratory complications. After extubation; 4 respiratory complications such as apnea; croup; laryngospasm and bronchospasm were examined. Thirty two percent of the patients with URI had respiratory complication (croup 16%; apnea 12%; laryngospasm 4%). There was no correlation between the number of URI symptoms and the events of respiratory complications. Eighty seven and half percent of the patients with respiratory complication had to undergo oxygen therapy. In the children with URI; past episode of asthma or bronchitis did not increase the chance of complications. This study suggests that the children with mild URI have high incidence of postoperative respiratory complications. It is; therefore; not surprising that the children who have only one symptom for URI may represent the high risk of respiratory complications.

Key Words: Postoperative complication, General anesthesia, Pediatric upper respiratory infection