Pediatric Anesthesiology at Children's Hospital Colorado
Hi, my name is Dr. Tom Majcher, Chief of the Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology. At Children's Hospital Colorado our anesthesiologists are pediatric experts who provide comfort and pain control during and after a surgery or procedure. To do this safely, anesthesiology providers (who are physicians and advanced practice providers) are involved in the entire process: from planning of the surgery, throughout the procedure until your child is safely recovered from the effects of the medications (often referred to as “anesthesia”). At times, we even follow your child’s progress in recovery for several days to assure optimal pain control.
What to Expect from Anesthesia
If your child is having surgery or a procedure at Children's Colorado, an anesthesia provider will be with him or her for the duration of the surgery/procedure, continuously monitoring your child’s heartbeat, blood pressure and oxygen levels. Your child will receive anesthesia for the entire procedure, maximizing their safety and comfort. Depending on the type of surgery/procedure, your anesthesia team may speak with you about different types of anesthesia, such as a general, epidural or a nerve block.
Why Choose Children's Hospital Colorado?
The Division of Pediatric Anesthesiology Department is made up of a multidisciplinary team of highly trained pediatric anesthesia experts. Our team carries out more than 32,000 anesthetic procedures per year, specializing in the unique needs of children undergoing surgical, diagnostic and therapeutic procedures.
We have more than 50 specialty-trained pediatric anesthesiologists and over 30 advanced practice providers (Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetists and Anesthesiologist Assistants) who specialize in pediatric anesthesia. Our experts are available for your child 24/7 whether it is for emergency surgery, trauma response, pain management or beginning an IV.
Services Offered
- An anesthesia evaluation before surgery in our Preoperative Clinic
- Anesthesia services for every type of surgical procedure from ambulatory (outpatient) surgery to high-risk surgeries
- Anesthesia services for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures such as gastrointestinal endoscopy, dental restoration, radiographic studies, interventional pain procedures, oncology procedures, and hearing/vision tests
- Difficult IV consults
- Critical care medicine consultations
- Difficult airway consultations
- 24-hour coverage after surgery from anesthesia providers at Children's Colorado
Subspecialty Services
- Cardiac anesthesia
- Acute and chronic pain services
- Level I trauma coverage with three 24-hour in-hospital anesthesia providers
- Two 24 hour, in-hospital Emergency Response Team members
- Transplant anesthesia
- Obstetric anesthesia
- Anesthesia for fetal interventions
- Anesthesia care for children with rare pediatric conditions, such as epidermolysis bullosa and mucopolysaccharidosis
- An in-hospital anesthesia simulation program that assists in educating staff to safely manage emergency situations
Anesthesia Research
The Division of Anesthesiology conducts ongoing clinical and non-clinical research to provide innovative anesthesia care for children. We have multiple clinical research studies for which your child may qualify.
A research assistant may talk to you about your child participating in one of our active studies. All research studies are carefully reviewed and approved by The Colorado Multiple Institutional Review Board. Our goal is to identify new, safe anesthetic care strategies to maximize comfort and improved outcomes for children.
You may ask your doctor, nurse or anyone on the research team about any of these studies, or you can call (720) 777-6226.
Pediatric Clinical Care
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Understanding Anesthesia
In addition to understanding your child’s condition or illness, you may want to know about anesthesia, too. Each year, the pediatric anesthesiologists at Children's Hospital Colorado perform almost 20,000 anesthetic procedures exclusively on children. That’s experience you can count on.Anesthesia is a medicine that induces a sleeplike state
Anesthesia will be given through a mask continuously during the operation. The anesthesia helps your child fall into a deep, sleeplike state that protects your child from pain. He or she won’t remember the operation.
As a parent, you may want to be there during induction
Anesthesia induction is the two- to three-minute process at the beginning of administering anesthesia. It may be possible for you to be with your child during induction, so let the hospital staff know if you want to be present. Your child’s anesthesiologist can help determine if you should be there, based on the age of your child, previous health history and the length of the procedure.
Specially trained pediatric anesthesiologists help keep your child safe
Children react to anesthesia differently than adults. At Children's Hospital Colorado, all of our anesthesiologists are specially trained in children’s anesthesia, ensuring your child receives the best care. Your anesthesiologist, whom you will meet before the operation, will monitor your child the entire time they are under anesthesia, checking blood pressure, heartbeat and oxygen levels.
There are some simple side effects
Side effects can include sleepiness, irritability, nausea, vomiting, sore throat and hoarseness. These side effects are not serious and will go away within a few hours to a few days. Your child may also be uncoordinated for up to 24 hours after anesthesia.
There is risk, but it’s minimal
Reactions are extremely rare. The most severe—and the rarest—can be life threatening. Rest assured, Children's Hospital Colorado is one of the finest pediatric hospitals in the nation. Every member of our staff is focused on children, and our physicians have the expertise and experience to keep your child as safe as possible.
No eating, no drinking, no kidding!
If your child eats or drinks too close to the time of the operation, the procedure will have to be rescheduled. So, follow your surgeon’s instructions—often referred to as “NPO guidelines”—regarding eating and drinking, even water, before the operation. Food or drink in your child’s stomach may be inhaled during anesthesia induction, causing complications. These NPO guidelines help minimize this risk.