[Anaesthesia and Sedation for Diagnostic Procedures in Children]

Abstract

Constant medical progress leads to an increasing range of indications and consequently increasing number of diagnostic procedures in (early) childhood. To prevent lasting traumatization of children (and parents) and to ensure proper examination conditions, adequate (analgo-)sedation or general anesthesia is usually required for the appropriate management of diagnostic procedures in childhood, whether painful or not. The safety of young patients is the first priority. Administrations, hospitals, and each individual anesthesiologist are responsible for establishing structures, experience, and knowledge in this area so that children of all ages receive optimum care. In this article, the authors provide an overview of basic principles (structures, requirements, recommendations), currently used drugs, and procedure-specific examples for providing procedural analgosedation/anesthesia in children.