Propofol use in children: Updates and controversies

Abstract

Advantages of propofol use in children may include less airway complications, less emergence agitation, and less postoperative behavioral changes. However, needle phobia and the complexity of total intravenous anesthesia set-up, as well as the pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic restrictions may limit the wide use of propofol-based anesthesia in the form of total intravenous anesthesia. Furthermore, pediatric infusion models and monitoring techniques are not fully validated yet. The choice of anesthesia type in children seems to be the result of a complex interplay between many factors related to the patient and the provider as well as logistic and operational factors that contribute to the decision-making process. Propofol has earned its place as a valuable choice in pediatric anesthesia. In addition, propofol and inhalation anesthesia should not be looked at as mutually exclusive; a combination of both may sometimes be the best approach to complex clinical dilemmas. © 2019 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA.