ABSTRACT
The role of anesthesia in pediatric trauma extends far beyond the operating room to include the emergency department, the radiology suite, the intensive care unit, and the acute pain service. In an ideal world, pediatric anesthesiologists are readily available to provide any or all of these services at any time. However, only a minority of children are treated at specialized pediatric trauma centers where these services exist (1). This makes it imperative that all physicians and surgeons involved in the care of children be familiar with the salient considerations for the successful management of the airway and anesthetic in the traumatized child.
