The safety of paediatric dentistry procedures under general anaesthesia. A five-year experience of a tertiary care center

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ABSTRACT

Aim

Frequently general anaesthesia (GA) is used to treat noncompliant children. Especially in children with morbid diseases general anaesthesia can be a challenging procedure for anaesthetists. The aim of this paper was to evaluate the risks and adverse
reactions with a special focus on the impact of existing medication conditions and syndromes.

Methods

and methods Records of children up to 10 years of age, who were admitted for paediatric dentistry procedures under GA from January 2011
to December 2016 at the University Hospital of the University of Aachen (Germany), were reviewed. A special attention was paid to the intra- and perioperative critical adverse reactions and concomitant systemic conditions and their impact on treatment outcome.

Results

Two hundred and twenty patients were admitted for dental restorations. Critical adverse reactions occurred in 4% of the treated patients and they were statistically significantly (p=0.004) related to the ASA classification above II. The use of a laryngeal mask airway was significantly associated (p<0.001) with a shorter duration of surgery. Most common concomitant medical conditions were congenital heart disease, mental retardation and inherited syndromes.

Conclusion

Although the administration of general anaesthesia in infants and children can be regarded as a safe procedure, clinically significant adverse reactions can occur, especially in patients with an existing medical condition.

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