Anesthesia

Anesthesia for Radiological Procedures

Related Services

Explanation | Before the procedure | During the procedure | After the procedure

What is anesthesia for radiological procedures?

The Department of Anesthesia provides general anesthesia for patients who have had difficulty with sedation, or who have coexisting medical conditions, while undergoing procedures involving radiology. Common procedures are:

Anesthesiologists focus on keeping the airway open, keeping your child from moving during the procedure and aiding in a rapid recovery from anesthesia, with minimal side effects.

Before the procedure

Your child will be assessed and prepared before the procedure. You will be asked questions about your child's medical history, allergies, current medications, previous anesthetic experience and current health status. Your child's airway, heart and lungs will be examined carefully.
Our goal is for your child to feel safe and happy in our environment. A member of the nursing or child life departments will explain, in a child-friendly manner, what the day will be like.

During the procedure

General anesthesia is normally given by having your child breathe anesthetic gases through a mask. In older children, anesthesia may be given intravenously (IV). Anesthesia may be maintained with IV anesthetic agents or anesthetic gases.
Anesthesia professionals will monitor your child closely during the procedure. Routine equipment will check on the heart's electrical activity, blood pressure, oxygen levels in the blood and breathing (measuring inhaled oxygen and exhaled carbon dioxide concentrations).
Most radiological procedures are not painful. However, for sclerotherapy of vascular malformations, we will give medications for pain management.

After the procedure

Recovery from these procedures is usually rapid, with few side effects. Pain management for sclerotherapy procedures is often provided by computerized Patient Controlled Analgesia (PCA) pump, or for younger children, a Nurse / Parent Controlled Analgesia (NCA) pump.

Radiological Discharge Instructions will be provided.

Rev. 8/06