General anesthesia for pediatric dermatologic procedures: Risks and complications

Objective: To assess the safety and adverse events associated with the use of general anesthesia in children undergoing elective dermatologic procedures. Design: A multicenter retrospective review. Setting: Children's Hospital and Health Center, San Diego, Calif, and Northwestern University School of Medicine, Chicago, Ill. Patients: The study population comprised 269 children and adolescents ranging in age from 2 months to 18 years (881 procedures performed by 6 pediatric dermatologic and laser surgeons). Main Outcome Measures: The risk of an adverse event occurring during general anesthesia for pediatric dermatologic procedures. Results: The risk of general anesthesia in elective pediatric dermatologic procedures was low: 90% of patients experienced no clinically relevant complications. The most common clinically relevant adverse effect of general anesthesia was perioperative nausea and emesis, which was noted in 4% of patients. There were no serious life-threatening events noted, and the mortality rate was 0%. Conclusion: The use of general anesthesia for dermatologic procedures in a children's hospital setting appears safe, with a low rate of complications.