Anesthesia for surgery related to craniosynostosis: a review. Part 1.

The management of children with craniosynostosis is multidisciplinary and has evolved significantly over the past five decades. The treatment is primarily surgical. The anesthetic challenges continue to be the management of massive blood transfusion and prolonged anesthesia in small children, often further complicated by syndrome-specific issues. This two-part review aims to provide an overview of the anesthetic considerations for these children. This first part describes the syndromes associated with craniosynostosis, the provision of services in the UK, surgical techniques, preoperative issues, and the induction and maintenance of anesthesia. The second part of this review will explore hemorrhage control, the use of blood products, metabolic disturbance, and postoperative issues.