Anaesthesia for radiation therapy of brain tumours in children. A multidisciplinary challenge

Radiation therapy of childhood intracranial malignancies is always a challenge for radiation oncologists, anaesthetists and paediatric oncologists. Detailed knowledge of the course of the disease prior to radiation therapy and a critical evaluation of the child's actual physical status are mand...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Published in:Der Anaesthesist 2004-08, Vol.53 (8), p.717
Main Authors: Weber, F, Dietl, B, Wolff, J, Peters, O, Altmeppen, J, Taeger, K
Format: Article
Language:ger
Subjects:
Anesthesia
Anesthesia, General
Brain Neoplasms - drug therapy
Brain Neoplasms - radiotherapy
Brain Stem Neoplasms - drug therapy
Brain Stem Neoplasms - radiotherapy
Child, Preschool
Combined Modality Therapy
Female
Glioblastoma - drug therapy
Glioblastoma - radiotherapy
Humans
Infant
Laryngeal Masks
Masks
Patient Care Team
Teratoma - pathology
Teratoma - radiotherapy
Online Access:Get full text
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Radiation therapy of childhood intracranial malignancies is always a challenge for radiation oncologists, anaesthetists and paediatric oncologists. Detailed knowledge of the course of the disease prior to radiation therapy and a critical evaluation of the child's actual physical status are mandatory in each case. Furthermore the anaesthetist should be informed about the child's individual preferences and aversions. The optimum prearrangement of the radiation therapy is of paramount importance. Interdisciplinary communication structures which must always involve the child's parents have to be established. Perfect adjustment of the mask that fixes the head during each radiation procedure is necessary to give the child the possibility to breathe spontaneously without an endotracheal tube or a laryngeal mask. Two case reports highlight these aspects of the complex procedure of paediatric radiation therapy which are relevant for the anaesthetist.
ISSN:0003-2417
DOI:10.1007/s00101-004-0712-2