Equipment and monitoring for paediatric anaesthesia

The most recent change in paediatric anaesthetic equipment has been the shift from re-useable to disposable items. This, with the notable patent expiry of the laryngeal mask, has opened the door to multiple manufacturers with new versions of well-known devices. All new devices must have a CE mark, which demonstrates that they are ‘fit for purpose’. This gives the user some reassurance that the materials are appropriate (e.g. only medical-grade silicone is used). The CE standards have little to do with efficacy and users should be aware that newer devices may not have been tested in clinical trials; this is especially true of the paediatric sizes of new items. Monitoring standards are the same for children and adults (www.aagbi.org/publications/guidelines/docs/standardsofmonitoring07.pdf). Machine monitors such as FiO2 should be used from the time of the machine check, with patient monitors applied as soon as appropriate. All monitors must be set with age-appropriate alarms.