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Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery: What’s New, What’s Controversial

  • Ambulatory Anesthesia (G Joshi, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Anesthesiology Reports Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Purpose of Review

This article aims to review recent innovations and trends in ambulatory anesthesia through the lens of the pediatric ambulatory population and strategizes the feasibility of implementation for individual ambulatory sites.

Recent Findings

Reducing greenhouse gasses via total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) and/or low fresh gas flows (FGF), the expansion of 23-h stays, and increasing prescriptions for GLP-1 agonists are all contemporary issues with relevance to pediatric ambulatory surgery.

Summary

Pediatric patients present unique challenges for environmental stewardship. It is likely eliminating nitrous oxide and using low flows for sevoflurane are most effective for ear tubes, while tonsillectomy and other procedures may utilize TIVA alone. In certain instances, providing 23-h stays to pediatric ambulatory patients can positively impact the healthcare system as a whole. Finally, GLP-1 agonists have been approved for pediatric patients and practitioners should know the implications for this patient population. Dependent upon individual ASCs, these changes can represent new opportunities to better serve the community.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Perioperative Medicine, University of Rochester School of Medicine, 601 Elmwood Ave., Box 604, Rochester, NY, 14642, USA

    Audra M. Webber

  2. Children’s National Hospital, Department of Anesthesiology, Pain and Perioperative Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington DC, USA

    Marjorie P. Brennan

  3. Department of Anesthesiology, Critical Care and Pain Medicine, Boston Children’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, USA

    James Bradley

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  1. Audra M. Webber
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Contributions

A.W., M.B., and J.B. wrote the main manuscript and text. M.B. prepared Table 1. All authors revised the manuscripts critically for important intellectual content. All authors approved the version to be published and agree to be accountable for all aspects of the work in ensuring that questions related to the accuracy or integrity of any part of the work are appropriately investigated and resolved.

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Correspondence to Audra M. Webber.

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Webber, A.M., Brennan, M.P. & Bradley, J. Pediatric Ambulatory Surgery: What’s New, What’s Controversial. Curr Anesthesiol Rep (2024). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40140-024-00624-1

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