How is Anesthesia Used During Radiological Procedures?
The Department of Anesthesia provides sedation for patients who have had trouble with sedation, or who have other medical conditions, while having procedures involving radiology.
Common procedures are:
- MRI (Magnetic Resonance Imaging)
- CT Scan (Computed Tomography Scan)
- Nuclear Medicine
- Fluoroscopy (X-Ray)
- Interventional Radiology
- Ultrasound
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 is assessed and prepared before the procedure. We will ask you questions about your child's medical history, allergies, current medicines, past anesthetic experience, and current health status.
We will check your child's airway, heart, and lungs.
Our goal is for your child to feel safe and happy during the procedure. A nurse or child life specialist will talk to your child about 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 professionals will watch your child closely during the procedure. Routine equipment will check your child’s heart, blood pressure, breathing, and oxygen levels in the blood.
Most radiological procedures are not painful. But, for sclerotherapy of vascular malformations, we will give medicines for pain management.
After the Procedure
Recovery from these procedures is most often 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.
We will give you Radiological discharge instructions.
