Preoperative preparation of children with upper respiratory tract infection: a focussed narrative review

Abstract

This review summarises the current evidence for the perioperative preparation in children with upper respiratory tract infections (URTI), including COVID-19 infection. URTI, including COVID-19 infection, are common and frequent in children who present for elective surgery. Children with URTI are at increased risk of perioperative respiratory adverse events. Perioperative respiratory adverse events are among the most serious and impactful consequences of paediatric anaesthesia, including cardiorespiratory arrest, and therefore present a significant challenge for the paediatric anaesthetist. This review addresses the pathophysiology and time course of URTI, including COVID-19. The evidence-based patient, anaesthetic, and surgical risk factors for perioperative respiratory adverse events are summarised. These risk factors work synergistically to determine individual patient risk and allow for risk stratification both clinically and with validated scoring systems. Evidence-based optimisation of modifiable respiratory risk factors can reduce the risk of perioperative bronchospasm. The evidence for the anaesthesia management options, including the timing and setting of surgery, experience of the paediatric anaesthetist, premedication, choice of airway device, choice of agent for induction and maintenance of anaesthesia, and deep vs awake tracheal extubation techniques along with a risk stratification framework are discussed.

Keywords: COVID-19; adverse events; bronchospasm; paediatric anaesthesia; respiratory tract infections; risk stratification.