Study objective: To ascertain the benefits of the preoperative discussion of the risks of anesthesia with parents of ASA status I or II pediatric day surgery patients.
Design: Survey analysis.
Setting: Pediatric day surgery unit.
Patients: 54 parents of ASA status I or II pediatric day surgery patients between the ages of 7 months and 16 years.
Interventions: After informed consent for the anesthetic was obtained by a member of the anesthesiology team, the parent(s) were given a questionnaire on their feelings about the explanation of the risks of anesthesia.
Measurements and main results: The questionnaire evaluated how parents felt about their understanding of the risks of anesthesia, the effect of hearing the risks of anesthesia on their anxiety levels, and the benefits of hearing the risks of anesthesia. Over 90% of the parents felt that they understood the risks of anesthesia, that the discussion of the risks would have no effect on their decision to proceed with surgery, and that the explanation of the risks is desirable; 92% considered the explanation desirable either out of a sense of responsibility or because they welcomed better understanding.
Conclusions: Our study suggests the benefits of the explanation of the risks of anesthesia appear to be rooted in satisfying parental responsibility and understanding, and not in providing information for decision making or anxiety relief. Anesthesiologists should not feed compelled to always detail all the risks, but should seek to satisfy individual parental needs.