Exposure to Operative Anesthesia in Childhood and Subsequent Neurobehavioral Diagnoses: A Natural Experiment Using Appendectomy

( Anesthesiology . 2024;141(3):489–499. doi: 10.1097/ALN.0000000000005075) Exposure to anesthesia in children occurs every year due to required surgical procedures, however, there is suspicion that this exposure challenges the normal neurodevelopmental processes. Parents and professionals should be aware of potential anesthetic effects when considering treatment options. Although there is limited to no evidence of anesthetic effects in most neurodevelopmental areas, there are a few studies that suggest an effect on neurobehavioral outcomes in specific domains. In response, this study seeks to further understand the neurotoxicity of anesthesia and surgery by examining the incidence of neurobehavioral outcomes in children who underwent surgery for appendicitis, a nearly random childhood illness, as well as pediatric patients who required a hospitalization for medical illness without exposure to surgery or anesthesia.