Comparison of Cost of Hospitalization in Children After General Anesthesia With and Without Perioperative Respiratory Event at a Tertiary Care Hospital in Southern Thailand

Mortality related with cardiac arrest in anesthetized children has diminished over several decades from 2.9 per 10000 anesthesias in 1961 to 0.21 per 10000 anesthesias in 2007.(1) Even though the mortality rate related to pediatric anesthesia is much lower than before, respiratory complications related with peri-operative cardiac arrest are as high as 27% according to the Pediatric Peri-operative Cardiac Arrest (POCA) Registry.(2).Therefore, peri-operative respiratory event (PRE) in pediatric anesthesia such as laryngospasm, stridor, bronchospasm, desaturation and reintubation are crucial.

Stridor and reintubation occur after the children are extubated, mostly in the PACU period. Laryngospasm, stridor, bronchospasm and wheezing can lead to desaturation and the need for reintubation. Those PRE, especially peri-operative desaturation, can prolong PACU stay especially if PRE develops in the PACU.(8,9) PRE occurring during the intraoperative period can also prolong PACU stay if children are observed at PACU and not transferred directly to the intensive care unit (ICU). Some children require oxygen therapy in the PACU and continue at the ward. Some need endotracheal tube intubation with spontaneous breathing or are placed on mechanical ventilator. Thai AIMS (10) reported that desaturation at PACU was associated with re-intubation, prolonged mechanical ventilation and unplanned ICU admission. Oxygen supplement need, prolonged mechanical ventilation or unplanned ICU admission can produce extra days of hospitalization or increase the cost of hospitalization from extra-cost payment eg; oxygen therapy, mechanical ventilator, cost of ICU stayed.

Furthermore, the short-term sequelae regarding cost of hospitalization of children who develop PRE has never been evaluated or compared with the cost in children who do not develop PRE. Higher cost of hospitalization after occurrence of PRE in anesthetized children will have an impact to the hospital policy maker. Minimizing PRE can save on the cost of hospital care to the public hospital or other health sectors.

Therefore, we would like to compare days of hospitalization and cost differences of hospitalization between children who develop PRE and children who do not develop PRE at a tertiary care hospital in southern Thailand