Pediatric Tonsillectomy after the Black Box: Strategies for Keeping Our Patients Safe and Comfortable

Program Description:This panel format miniseminar will provide perspectives on best practices in care of the pediatric tonsillectomy patient with regard to anesthetic practices, criteria for admission, and pain management. The goals of the presentation are to provide guidelines for safe and effective pain management, raise awareness regarding “red flags” in children who may require advanced anesthesia expertise, and propose algorithms for identifying and managing those children who may be at high risk for complications.Educational Objectives:(1) Provide safe and effective nonnarcotic postoperative pain management in pediatric tonsillectomy patients. (2) Identify children at increased risk for posttonsillectomy complications. (3) Recognize patients who will most benefit from the expertise of a pediatric anesthesiologist and/or a higher level of postoperative care.