The cardiorespiratory effects of laparoscopic procedures in infants

We assessed the cardiorespiratory effects of laparoscopic procedures in 27 infants aged between 36 and 365 days. Infants were monitored and anaestheti sed in a standardised manner. Heart rate, mean arterial pressure, end-tidal carbon dioxide and oxygen saturation were recorded, and blood gases were m easured at 5 min after intubation, 15 and 30 min after carbon dioxide pneum operitoneum, 5 min after desufflation and after extubation. The pH, PaO2, b ase excess, SaO2 and SpO2 decreased, and P-CO2 increased by insufflation of carbon dioxide intraperitoneally, and improved following deflation. Change s in pH and PaO2 during the study were statistically significant (p < 0.000 1). The increase in PaCO2 30 min after pneumoperitoneum was statistically s ignificant when compared with initial values. Transient arrhythmias were ob served in 10 infants 1 min after pneumoperitoneum. There were no statistica lly significant alterations in heart rate and systolic blood pressure.