Which group of the pediatric population is at a higher risk of developing respiratory complications upon administration of general anesthesia?

Neonates are at a higher risk of developing respiratory complications upon administering general anesthesia

Explanation:

Anesthesia can lead to a number of perioperative and postoperative respiratory complications especially in neonates. Neonates may require varying levels and types of anesthesia for various conditions starting from central line or VP shunt placement, tracheostomy or gastrostomy tube placements, any excisions, circumscision and any other surgical procedures.

The immature neonatal respiratory system makes neonatal anesthesia a difficult task due to:

Anatomically, the airways are small and alveoli network is immature.

Physiologically, neonatal metabolic rate is very high with more oxygen consumption than adults

Functionally, the lung mechanism is also immature, smaller upper airway resistance and higher lower airway resistance which causes collapse.

Hence, proper care should be taken while anesthetizing neonates with proper communication with the healthcare team including pediatric surgeons, pulmonologist, cardiologist, nursing care, pharmacists etc