Anesthetic Management of Patients with Craniofacial Malformations

Abstract

Patients with craniofacial malformations or clefts are considered challenging in many services that do not specialize in this type of treatment. These are patients who need multiple restoratives, aesthetic, and functional procedures. The anesthetic management of patients with craniofacial malformations is challenging and can lead to unfavorable outcomes and the knowledge of these conditions by the assistant professional is of fundamental importance for the real benefit to the patient in question. We must comprehend the anesthetic problems linked to the patient’s various developmental stages as well as the surgical considerations since patients may need many procedures, ranging from primary closure in a newborn to alveolar bone grafting and dental surgery in maturity. Present and discuss the best and most current anesthetic management alternatives, airway management (including difficult airway, a very common condition in patients with craniofacial malformations), postoperative analgesia, common postoperative complications and systemic conditions associated with these patients allows adjustments to be made to working conditions and methods, promoting a culture of learning and a desire for continuous improvement.