“Is it safe to be under anesthesia when 5 years old?”
My 5 year old needs his tonsils removed under anesthesia. I want to know if it is safe to be under anesthesia when 5 years old?
9 Answers
Anesthesia is generally safe in a healthy 5-year-old child. But surgeons like to blame everything on anesthesia.
Modern anesthesia is quite safe. Be sure to ask questions about monitoring and the experience of providers. Many pediatric cases are done in pediatric centers, but many outpatient surgeries are done by teams of providers who work together often and have a lot of experience with particular types of common cases. Tonsillectomy is one of the most common surgeries, particularly in young people, so I am sure that they have a lot of experience with pediatric cases. Ask your surgeon if you have any concerns.
Good luck!
Good luck!
There is no increased risk for a 5 year old as compared to older patients.
Aside from obvious airway issues during throat/pharyngeal surgery, it is generally safe to undergo surgery at any age as long as there is an anesthesiologist involved in the care.
Yes, general anesthesia for tonsillectomy and adenoidectomy is very safe for children at age 5. T&A is one of the most common procedures performed under general anesthesia in the pediatric population.
Yes. There's even a pediatric subspeciality within Anesthesiology. As with any surgical procedure, I suggest your child to have their tonsillectomy done at a facility that routinely does pediatric surgery.
Yes in the absence of serious medical problems.
From Christopher Creighton
From Christopher Creighton
Yes, provided that you follow doctor's preop guide lines such as NPO (no food preoperatively).
All anesthesia has risk. Suggest pediatrician evaluation to rule our any unknown condition. Complications are not so common, but could happen.
