Neonatal anaesthesia

Abstract

Paediatric anaesthetists often place emphasis on the differences between children and adults. These differences will be greatest when considering neonates, whose physiology will also differ substantially from that of older children. This chapter focuses on general issues around anaesthesia in neonates, including airway management, fluids, and vascular access. Specific sections discuss the cardiovascular changes around birth and anaesthesia for premature infants. The effect of anaesthetic agents, and anaesthesia, on bran development is controversial, and key aspects of this debate are summarized.