Anesthesia for the pediatric patient with asthma.

Abstract

Pediatric patients present an interesting challenge for any anesthetist. Whether it is an infant born through meconium-stained fluid in the emergency department of a community hospital, or a 2-year-old who swallowed a coin, the anatomic and physiological differences of the pediatric patient affect the way that anesthetic care is planned and administered. Having a clear understanding of these underlying differences will allow the anesthesia provider to adapt to the rapidly changing and clinically divergent situations seen in this interesting patient population. This article briefly discusses the anatomic and physiological differences of pediatric patients along with the clinical applications of the patient with pediatric asthma.