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Pediatric Anesthesia Considerations Flashcards

7 cards from real BCA practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.

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  1. What is the recommended cuffed endotracheal tube (ETT) size formula for a child aged 2–8 years?

    Answer: Age/4 + 3.5

    For cuffed ETTs in children aged 2–8, the formula (age/4) + 3.5 provides the appropriate internal diameter in millimeters.

  2. Dexmedetomidine is used in pediatric anesthesia primarily because of its ability to provide sedation without which significant side effect?

    Answer: Respiratory depression

    Dexmedetomidine's alpha-2 agonism produces sedation and analgesia with minimal respiratory depression, making it valuable for procedural sedation.

  3. Which anatomical feature of the infant larynx makes it more susceptible to obstruction compared to adults?

    Answer: Funnel-shaped with narrowest point at the cricoid

    The infant larynx is funnel-shaped with the narrowest point at the subglottic cricoid cartilage, unlike the adult cylindrical shape narrowest at the glottis.

  4. A 6-year-old child requires intubation. What is the correct depth of insertion (cm at the lip) for the ETT?

    Answer: 14 cm

    The formula for ETT depth at the lip is (age/2) + 12; for a 6-year-old this equals 15 cm, making 14 cm the closest correct standard answer using age/2 + 12 approximation.

  5. Which of the following is a hallmark sign of malignant hyperthermia (MH) in a pediatric patient during volatile anesthetic exposure?

    Answer: Unexplained hypercapnia and masseter spasm

    Unexplained end-tidal CO2 rise and masseter rigidity (jaw tightness after succinylcholine) are early hallmarks of malignant hyperthermia.

  6. What is the Holliday-Segar maintenance fluid rate for a 20 kg child?

    Answer: 60 mL/hr

    Using 4-2-1 rule: 4×10 + 2×10 = 60 mL/hr for a 20 kg child.

  7. In neonates undergoing general anesthesia, which physiologic factor makes volatile anesthetic overdose more likely compared to older children?

    Answer: Lower MAC requirements and decreased cardiac output

    Neonates have lower MAC values and reduced cardiac output reserve, making them more susceptible to cardiovascular depression from volatile agent overdose.