Pediatric Cardiac Anesthesia Frequently Asked Questions

What can my child expect when receiving cardiac anesthesia at Stanford Medicine Children’s Health?

Before your child’s scheduled heart procedure, we visit with you and your child to make sure you understand the process and explain the steps we will take. On the day of their heart procedure, we collaborate closely with everyone on your child’s heart care team—the pediatric heart surgeons, heart interventionists, perfusionists, critical care doctors, pain management team, and operating nursing staff. Together, we work closely to ensure that the heart procedure goes as well as possible.

How do you make cardiac anesthesia care comfortable for my child?

As part of pediatric anesthesia, we offer kid-friendly touches like fun-flavored anesthesiology masks, playing your child’s favorite music and movies, and bringing in our top-pick Child Life experts to help make your child’s heart surgery/procedure preparation as pleasant as possible. Our pediatric cardiac anesthesia care team takes the extra time that’s needed to ensure that your child has a good experience and is comfortable at every stage of their procedure.

Why does my child need a pediatric cardiac anesthesiologist?

Pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists complete extra years of training beyond general anesthesia. Research shows that children who are cared for by pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists during heart procedures achieve better surgical outcomes, meaning they have a lower chance of cardiac arrest and fewer complications.

What are your goals for my child during cardiac anesthesia, and how do you achieve them?

We work closely with your child’s entire care team to achieve the best possible outcome for your child. We do this by providing anesthesia care that is tailored to your child’s specific heart disease and needs. We pride ourselves on our collaborative nature within our pediatric cardiac anesthesia team, and with other specialists in our hospital, to ensure that everyone is on the same page regarding your child’s care plan. Our pediatric cardiac anesthesia team is engaged in continual quality improvement efforts within our Anesthesia department and the larger Moore Children’s Heart Center teams, and we measure our outcomes to make sure we are providing the best care possible.

Do you use special technology when providing cardiac anesthesia to my child?

During operations, we use state-of-the-art technology to keep track of your child’s heart activity and health. We frequently use echocardiography, including 3-D transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), to observe your child’s heart health. To make for a safe and successful surgery, our anesthesia team has expertise in placing arterial and central lines with ultrasound guidance. We also monitor cerebral oximetry to look at the perfusion of the brain as well as electroencephalogram (EEG) to gauge depth of anesthesia to ensure your child’s comfort. We continually stay on the leading edge of technology to improve cardiac anesthesia care for children with both congenital and acquired heart disease.