SPINAL ANESTHESIA IN PEDIATRICS LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Spinal anesthesia is a technique widely used in pediatric surgical procedures, providing effective blockage of sensation and movement in the lower limbs and pelvis, while preserving the patient's consciousness. Its application to children requires specific care due to anatomical, physiological and psychological differences compared to adults. The efficacy, safety and potential complications associated with spinal anesthesia in children have been topics of increasing interest in the medical literature. In this context, a systematic literature review becomes essential to gather and analyze the available data, in order to provide a complete overview of the scientific evidence on the use of spinal anesthesia in children.Objective: Critically considers studies published in the last 10 years on pediatric spinal anesthesia. We hope to analyze the effectiveness, safety, complications and clinical results associated with this technique in the pediatric population and contribute to improving clinical practice and safety of surgical procedures involving children. methodology: The systematic literature search was carried out according to the PRISMAS checklist guidelines, we used four databases: PubMed, Scielo, Web of Science and we searched for articles published in the last 10 years. Five descriptors were applied: “spinal anesthesia”, “pediatrics”, “effectiveness”, “safety” and “complications”. The Inclusion Criteria were: Studies published in the last 10 years; Studies that investigated spinal anesthesia in pediatric patients (age ≤ 18 years) and Studies that reported data related to the efficacy, safety or complications of spinal anesthesia in children. The Exclusion Criteria were: Studies in languages ​​other than Portuguese and English; Studies in which data were insufficient or not publicly available and Studies that focused exclusively on adults or did not present data specific to the pediatric population. Results: the systematic review included a total of 15 studies that met the inclusion criteria. The results indicate the overall effectiveness of spinal anesthesia in children, with satisfactory anesthetic success rates and an acceptable safety profile. Complications, when they occurred, were generally mild and transient. Additionally, the review identified specific risk factors that may affect the effectiveness and safety of spinal anesthesia in children. Conclusion: suggests that this technique is effective and safe in children and generally presents manageable complications. However, more studies are needed to deepen the understanding of risk factors and refine clinical practice. This review provides useful information for healthcare professionals working in pediatric anesthetics. and emphasizes the importance of adapting anesthetic methods to this specific population.