Anesthesia is the sedative (medicine) used to help your child sleep safely and comfortably during surgery or other procedures. It is the anesthesiologist’s job to give your child anesthesia before surgery and stay with your child to ensure their safety throughout the surgery and during recovery immediately after surgery.

Why Doernbecher?

Our pediatric cardiac anesthesia team have years of special training in pediatric anesthesia as well as care of pediatric heart patients. They know how your child may react to anesthesia and to surgery. 

Our pediatric cardiac anesthesiologists work closely with our surgeons, perfusion team, cardiologists, and intensivists, to ensure the best care for your child.

What to expect

Before your child’s surgery, our anesthesiologist will meet with your family to discuss the anesthesia plan and the risks for your child, providing you a good idea of what to expect and ensuring your child is ready for the planned operation. During that process, you will have an opportunity to ask all your questions. 

During heart surgery, your child’s care team constantly monitors your child's vital functions, including blood pressure, temperature, heart function, oxygen levels in the blood, and pressures in chambers of the heart. The anesthesiologist stays with your child throughout the procedure, including during and after transfer to the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) for recovery.