Better Pink or Better Blue? Dealing with Cardiac Kids

OK, here we go. This is the first in a 2 part series on a general approach to kids with cardiac disease. This post, by Dr Andrew Weatherall, is on key points of assessment. The second post in the series will be an attempt to provide simple goals of anaesthesia when looking after these kids. Dr Andrew Weatherall is a paediatric anaesthetist and prehospital doctor, working mostly at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. He spends some time doing cardiac anaesthesia, including a couple of aid trips. This post also had a check by Dr Justin Skowno, also a cardiac anaesthetist at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead. 

Better Pink or Better Blue? The Kid with Congenital Heart Disease

We all have nightmares. They might have been monsters once. They might relate to Elvis Presley’s diet. For anaesthetists, it can be any number of clinical scenarios. Or sometimes the quality of the next cup of coffee.