Postoperative morbidity in pediatric patients following dental treatment under general anesthesia

PURPOSE: The aims of this study were to investigate post-operative complications in pediatric patients 24 and 72 hours after general anesthesia (GA) and to identify any associations between dental procedures and complications. MATERIALS AND METHODS: One hundred and thirty three healthy pediatric patients who had undergone dental treatment under GA (age range: two to nine years) were included in this study. The project was designed as a prospective, observational study supported by a questionnaire that collected data on children’s post-operative complaints. Preoperative data were obtained from patients’ files and included age, gender, medical condition and admission type (inpatient or outpatient) variables. The postoperative complaints were assessed either by phone contact or by face-to-face interviews using a questionnaire 24 and 72 hours after treatment. RESULTS: 69.9% of children reported one or more complaints after 24 hours and 35.3% after 72 hours. Coughing and pain (27.1%), inability to eat (24.8%), psychological changes (24.1%) and a sore throat (21.1%) were the most common complaints during the first day. After 72 hours, the severity and rate of the complications decreased significantly (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Post-operative complaints following dental treatment under GA tended to be of mild severity and were mainly limited to the first day after the procedure.