Preoperative evaluation in infants and children: recommendations of the Italian Society of Pediatric and Neonatal Anesthesia and Intensive Care (SARNePI).

Abstract

Preoperative evaluation is mandatory before any diagnostic or therapeutic procedure that requires the use of anesthesia or sedation. The systematic prescription of complementary tests in children should be abandoned, and replaced by a selective and rational prescription, based on the patient history and clinical examination performed during the preoperative evaluation.