Postoperative pulmonary complications (PPCs) are common in children undergoing general anesthesia and are associated with prolonged stay in the hospital and high costs. Development of PPCs is associated with ventilator settings in adult patients undergoing general anesthesia. Data on perioperative ventilator settings in children are lacking, leaving the anaesthetist without guidance. Consequently, the current standard of care in perioperative mechanical ventilation in children is expected to be extremely heterogeneous, leading to ventilation with higher levels of energy than necessary. Therefore, it is highly necessary to evaluate the current practice in perioperative ventilation in children and to determine associations with PPCs.
aged ≤ 16 years;
undergoing general anesthesia
airway management with tube or LMA; and
connected to mechanical ventilator . minimum duration of procedure: 15 minutes
patients undergoing surgical procedures involving extra-corporal circulation;
patients receiving ventilation with high frequency jet ventilation or high frequency oscillatory ventilation;
sedation without airway management in the form of a endotracheal tube or a supraglottic airway device; and
(rigid) bronchoscopic procedures with maintenance of spontaneous ventilation.