[Preoperative information for paediatric patients. The anaesthesiologist's point of view].

Medical information is mandatory before any medical procedure, including pediatric anesthesia. Preoperative information covers many aspects, including medico-psychologic and judicial aspects. When the patient is a child, information must be delivered to the parents in priority. However, the French law has given a particular attention to the opinion of the child. In 70% of the cases, preoperative anxiety of the parents is more related to anesthesia than to the surgical procedure itself. We have to explain the most frequent adverse effects, as well as the more severe and well known complications to the parents, even though they are very infrequent. The only cases where preoperative information is not required are: emergency cases and refusal of the patient or the parents to be informed. While information is necessarily oral, it may be completed using a written document. The quality of the preoperative information directly influences the quality of the psychological preoperative preparation of the parents, and thereafter of the child. Preoperative preparation programs have been developed, but controversial results have been observed. The great majority of the studies on preoperative programs were performed in the USA, where the demand for preoperative information is very important. It is far from sure that the results of all these studies may be extrapolated to French parents, and French studies are needed.