J Korean Dent Soc Anesthesiol.  2002 Dec;2(2):101-106. 10.17245/jkdsa.2002.2.2.101.

A Statistical Analysis of the General Anesthesia for Dental Treatment to Children with Developmental Disability

• Choi YK
• Lee SM
• Kim DO

• KMID: 2345183
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.17245/jkdsa.2002.2.2.101

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The management of the behavior of handicapped children when providing required dental care is often a problem, whether in the dental office or in a hospital setting. Because of the high incidence of poor cooperation, many of these patients are scheduled for dental care under general anesthesia with preoperative medical assessment. The purpose of this study was to carry out a clinico-statistical survey on dental treatment for handicapped children under general anesthesia
METHODS
After approval from the institutional review board, the medical records of 64 handicapped children between 1997 and 2002 were reviewed to determine the patient profiles, anesthesia management, and complications. The charts of these patients, who underwent dental examination, scaling and prophylaxis, and restoration and extraction of teeth under general anesthesia, were reviewed.
RESULTS
The mean age was 12.8 years old, and males (53%) predominated females (47%). Twenty-four patients had mental retardation, twelve had autism, six had cerebral palsy, 4 had behavior disorder, others had heart disease, convulsive disorder, etc. Sixty-two had intravenous thiopental with neuromuscular blocker, 2 had intravenous ketamine induction. Nasotracheal intubation was uneventful in 55 patients, nine had orotracheal intubation because of difficult visualization of the larynx. Twenty-one patients experienced postoperative complications in the recovery room, including epistaxis, nasal obstruction, vomiting, airway obstruction, respiratory depression.
CONCLUSIONS
General anesthesia is a very effective way of completing the dental treatments for disabled children. We emphasize the need to train anesthesiologists in the care of disabled patients.

Keyword

Dental practice; General anesthesia; Handicapped children

MeSH Terms

Airway Obstruction
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, General*
Autistic Disorder
Cerebral Palsy
Child*
Dental Care
Dental Offices
Developmental Disabilities*
Disabled Children
Epistaxis
Ethics Committees, Research
Female
Heart Diseases
Humans
Incidence
Intellectual Disability
Intubation
Ketamine
Larynx
Male
Medical Records
Nasal Obstruction
Neuromuscular Blockade
Postoperative Complications
Recovery Room
Respiratory Insufficiency
Thiopental
Tooth
Vomiting
Ketamine
Thiopental