Pediatric Operating Room Setup

The pediatric population presents many unique challenges to the anesthesia care team. A well-organized pediatric anesthesia room setup is essential to facilitate a smooth induction, maintenance, and emergence. Infants and children have a greater metabolic rate and increased oxygen consumption. Although the child’s functional residual capacity (FRC) is similar to an adult’s, the child’s ability to compensate during periods of hypoxia is limited due to these compounding factors. As a result, rapid oxygen desaturation is more prevalent in the pediatric population, and limits the amount of time the anesthesia provider has to rectify these conditions. A thorough operating room setup includes precise drug calculations, ventilator settings and airway equipment, IV and colloid infusions, and thermoregulation considerations. Knowledge of these considerations allows the non-routine pediatric anesthesia provider an opportunity to provide safe, efficient, and optimal care to the pediatric population during the intraoperative period.