COMPLICATIONS ASSOCIATED WITH VARIOUS TYPES OF ANESTHESIA IN CHILDREN AGED 1–5 YEARS: A CROSS-SECTIONAL OBSERVATIONAL STUDY IN LAHORE, PAKISTAN
Keywords:
Pediatric anesthesia; perioperative complications; general anesthesia; postoperative nausea and vomiting; respiratory adverse events; hypothermia; pediatric surgery.Abstract
Background: Children are particularly susceptible to anesthesia-related perioperative complications because of age-related anatomical and physiological differences. However, evidence describing the pattern of these complications in Pakistan remains limited. Objective: To determine the frequency and pattern of perioperative complications associated with different anesthesia techniques among children aged 1–5 years undergoing surgery at a tertiary care hospital in Lahore, Pakistan. Methods: A cross-sectional observational study was conducted over four months in the pediatric surgical ward and post-anesthesia care unit of a tertiary care hospital. One hundred children aged 1–5 years undergoing elective or emergency surgery were enrolled using non-probability sampling. Demographic characteristics, anesthesia type, and perioperative complications were recorded using a structured data collection tool. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and associations between anesthesia type and perioperative complications were assessed using the Chi-square test, with p<0.05 considered statistically significant. Results: Most patients were classified as ASA I–II (88%), underwent elective surgery (68%), and received general anesthesia (70%). Intraoperative complications included hypothermia (12%), hypoxemia (9%), bronchospasm (6%), tachycardia (4%), bradycardia (4%), hyperthermia (4%), and laryngospasm (3%). Postoperatively, nausea and vomiting was the most common complication (53%), followed by hypoxemia (16%) and hypothermia (8%). No perioperative cardiac arrest or mortality was observed. A significant association was identified between anesthesia type and postoperative nausea and vomiting. Conclusion: Pediatric anesthesia demonstrated an acceptable safety profile in this tertiary care setting, with most complications being minor and manageable. Respiratory adverse events, postoperative nausea and vomiting, and temperature-related complications remain important targets for quality improvement through standardized monitoring and preventive perioperative strategies. Keywords: Pediatric anesthesia; perioperative complications; general anesthesia; postoperative nausea and vomiting; respiratory adverse events; hypothermia; pediatric surgery.
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