When children undergo anesthesia during surgery, the long-term effects that anesthetics have on the developing brain is relatively unknown. A study presented at this year's American Society of Anesthesiologists Annual Meeting assesses the association between exposure to anesthesia in children 3 years old and younger and their risk for developmental and behavioral disorders.
The Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons study is one of a recent series by scientists seeking to determine if research from animal models showing damage to the developing brain from commonly used anesthetic agents is a clinical problem for infants and young children who receive anesthesia.
"We do not know how much of the excess risk for these disorders is attributable to anesthesia and surgery," said the study's lead author Charles DiMaggio, Ph.D., Associate Clinical Professor, Department of Anesthesiology, Columbia University. "While we suspect factors unrelated to anesthesia and surgery also play a large role in increased risk for developmental and behavioral disorders, it is important to determine the role of anesthetic agents."
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