Purpose of reviewApneic oxygenation is increasingly used in pediatric anesthesia. Its benefit for specific applications depends on the effect of apneic oxygenation on safe apnea time and carbon dioxide (CO2) elimination, on differences between low and high flow oxygen delivery, and on possible adverse effects. The present review summarizes current evidence on these pathophysiological aspects of apneic oxygenation as well as its applications in pediatric anesthesia.Recent findingsApneic oxygenation with both low flow and high flow nasal oxygen increases the safe apnea time, but does not lead to increased CO2 elimination. Airway pressures and adverse effects like atelectasis formation, oxidative stress and aerosol generation under apneic oxygenation are not well studied in pediatric anesthesia. Data from adults suggest no important effect on airway pressures when the mouth is open, and no significant formation of atelectasis, oxidative stress or aerosol generation with high flow nasal oxygen.SummaryApneic oxygenation in pediatric anesthesia is mainly used during standard and difficult airway management. It is sometimes used for airway interventions, but CO2 accumulation remains a major limiting factor in this setting. Reports highlight the use of high flow nasal oxygen in spontaneously breathing rather than in apneic children for airway interventions.

In the pediatric surgical environment, we can enrich our knowledge and improve our skills through interdisciplinary knowledge transfer in exchange with other surgical or even non-surgical disciplines. To demonstrate this, we present in this article three patient cases of method transfer enabling new techniques in minimally invasive pediatric surgery. 1. The somewhat modified application of the AeroStat rigid tip laparoscopic cholangiography catheter during the single-step laparoscopic cholecystectomy facilitates the safe intraoperative cholangiography with common bile duct flushing. 2. A magnetic rod is used during laparoscopic enterotomy to locate and retrieve ingested magnets. 3. Using a patient-specific MRI 3D model representing a syndromic high anorectal malformation improves surgical planning and parental education.