Abstract:

[Abstract]   Objective   To evaluate the feasibility and security of general anesthesia for elective surgery in infants with
mild upper respiratory tract infections (URI).   Methods   A total of 169 cases of infants underwent general anesthesia for elective surgery, ASAⅠ orⅡ , both sexes, aged 20 days to 36 months, were divided into URI group (n = 41) and non-URI group (n = 128), according to the preoperative symptoms of URI. The general data, the perioperative and postoperative respiratory-related complications were observed and recorded.   Results   (1) There was a higher incidence rate of breath holding during the operation in URI group than that of URI group. There were no significant differences in cough, sputum, blood oxygen saturation (SpO 2) < 0.95, fever, glossoptosis between two groups. No fever was found in both groups. There was a higher incidence rate of sputum after operation in URI group. There were no significant differences in other complications including cough, SpO2 <0.95, fever, glossoptosis and incidence rate of breath holding between two groups. No laryngospasm and bronchospasm were found during operation and after operation in two groups. (2)The incidence of postoperative cough and fever increased, while the incidence rates of SpO2< 0.95 and glossoptosis were lower after operation compared with those during operation in non-URI group.
In URI group, the incidence rate of postoperative fever was higher， and SpO2 < 0.95 and breath holding was lower. There were no significant differences in other complications in URI group.  Conclusion   It is feasible and relatively safe to implement tracheal intubation general anesthesia for the infants with mild URI under thorough preoperative assessment and careful operative management.

Key words: upper respiratory infection, infant, general anesthesia, peroperative complications