PATIENT INFORMATION

Children are not merely small adults. They frequently present for health care with their own set of rules and requirements for treatment. Unfortunately, many children's first exposure to health care is a traumatic one; a necessity as a result of disease or injury. The best exposure and thus long term development of the child as a sound adult patient is best done on a non-treatment introductional basis. This is certainly an option for the general practitioner but less frequently presents for the speciality provider.

When children visit the Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeon, it usually involves the "S" word (surgery). We therefore, must pull out all the stops in order to make this child's experience not unpleasant and, in fact, potentially a good experience. Good communication with the child and the parent is tantamount to a good experience. Consistent and appropriate explanation sets the child at ease and develops trust.

Our technique with children does not include the use of restraints or papoose boards. Frequently parents are allowed, and often asked, to be involved with their child at induction of anesthesia or during procedures with local and local and nitrous oxide. Parent involvement is always encouraged.

Dependent upon the complexity of the procedure and the ability for the child to cooperate, anesthetic technique and surgical settings are chosen. Most procedures can be performed in the office with local anesthesia, local anesthesia combined with nitrous oxide sedation, intravenous sedation, or intramuscular Ketamine general anesthesia. In-office carbon dioxide laser capability is also available to provide simple and painless care. The technique of choice is usually chosen after a consultative meeting with the parent and child.

A unique capability of the Pacific Coast Center is the availability of the adjacent Pasadena Ambulatory Surgery Center, Inc. This allows us to provide safe and controlled general anesthesia for our pediatric patients. Frequently, we can provide general anesthesia without needles through the use of inhalation agents (gases). Short procedures are generally managed by our surgeons but longer or more complex cases are managed by our board certified staff anesthesiologists.

Options also exist with in our practice, for pediatric anesthetic management for restorative and other dental and medical procedures. Through the establishment of the Pasadena Ambulatory Surgery Center, Inc., we now have a unique environment to provide care for those patients requiring general anesthesia management for various dental and medical procedures. Our hospital level out-patient facility and operating room allows your general dental practitioner or other dental or medical practitioners, to offer care to patients with special management problems without having to go to the hospital. This includes patients with developmental disabilities. We have anesthesiologists on staff who are well versed in all forms of ambulatory anesthesia.

We are very comfortable treating children for all afflictions within our practice scope. Our entire office changes gears with any child patient in order to make their experience pleasant and to avoid the development of long term fears. But most important of all,...................... we have a toy box.

Please feel free to contact our staff if you have any questions about our pediatric anesthesia services or the Pasadena Ambulatory Surgery Center, Inc.