Anesthesia

At the Department of Pediatric Anesthesia, we care for children and youth with many different medical conditions. We are also experts in pain management and critical care.

We provide care across a variety of locations throughout the hospital and across Vancouver, including operating rooms, the Radiology Department, the Burn Unit, the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and BC Cancer.

All BC Children's Hospital anesthesiologists have special training in anesthesia for children. We work together with anesthesia assistants and nurses to keep patients safe and comfortable during their surgery or procedure.

Pre-Anesthesia Clinic

The BC Children’s Hospital's Pre-Anesthesia Clinic prepares children for surgery. This shortens a patient's stay in hospital. Find more information on our preparing for surgery web page.

PainCare 360

PainCare 360 aims to improve the quality of care for children and youth across BC and Yukon. It brings together multiple pain programs across specialties to improve pain management. Families, caregivers and providers can find more information on the Pain and Comfort Management web page.

Referral information

Patients need to be admitted to the hospital to use this service. BC Children’s Hospital doctors and nurse practitioners can contact the anesthesiologist in charge (AIC).

Appointment details

Anesthesia or deep sedation is a special state of sleep that prevents feeling (sensation) and memory during the surgery or procedure. Modern anesthesia is very safe, even for the smallest children. The anesthesiologist will be happy to discuss the safety and risks involved with anesthesia for your child or youth.

What to expect in an anesthetic procedure:

• We can give anesthesia by placing an intravenous (IV) tube in a vein, usually in a patient’s hand, which we have numbed with a special cream
• We can also give anesthesia as a gas through a clear plastic mask. The anesthesiologist will discuss in advance which anesthetic will be best for the child or youth
• After a patient is asleep, the anesthesiologist may also consider injecting local anesthetic (or "freezing") near the area of the surgery, in order to help a child or youth be more comfortable when they wake up
• There are some minor side effects a patient may have after an anesthetic, including a sore throat, dizziness, or drowsiness

Contact us

Address:
T3-246
4480 Oak St.
Vancouver, BC
V6H 3V4

Phone: 604-875-2345 ext. 2711
Fax: 604-875-3221

Additional resources

For patients and families

• Anesthesia Patient Safety Foundation - an organization dedicated to improving the safety of patients during anesthesia care
• Smart Tots advice for parents and caregivers - a downloadable resource with answers to pressing pediatric anesthesia questions

For clinicians and researchers

• UBC Department of Anesthesiology, Pharmacology, and Therapeutics
• Pediatric Anesthesia Fellowship information
• Pediatric Anesthesia Research Team
• Canadian Pediatric Anesthesia Society
• Society for Pediatric Anesthesia
• Association of Paediatric Anesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland
• Society for Paediatric Anaesthesia in New Zealand and Australia
• American Society for Regional Anesthesia and Pain