Prediction of respiratory collapse among pediatric patients with mediastinal tumors during induction of general anesthesia.

PURPOSE: Fatality resulting from respiratory collapse (RC) during general anesthesia (GA) induction in children with mediastinal tumors has been reported. We explored potentially useful parameters for predicting the risk of RC based on objective imaging results.

METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed the records of 31 patients (median age: 4years; range: 4months-15years) with mediastinal tumors treated between 2000 and 2015. Comparing those with RC under GA induction to those without (RC group vs. non-RC group), we analyzed a variety of factors that might predict respiratory obstruction during GA induction, including our new parameter, the standardized tumor volume (STV), which is adapted from the formula for the volume of an ellipsoid.

RESULTS: All eight patients in the RC group had large tumors in the anterior mediastinum, including lymphoma, teratoma, and germ cell tumor. The mean STV value of the RC group was significantly larger than that of the non-RC group (3.6±1.4 vs. 1.4±1.0, p=0.006). Using an STV cut-off value of 2.5, the sensitivity and specificity for predicting RC under GA induction were both 0.86, making STV more useful than previously reported risk factors.

CONCLUSION: Anterior mediastinal tumors in children can often cause airway obstruction under GA induction. Measuring STV can help predict the respiratory risk during GA among pediatric patients with anterior mediastinal tumors.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.