Anesthesia Care, Complications, and Airway Management for Patients With Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A Retrospective Chart Review From a Quaternary Children’s Hospital
Authors' conclusion
Lumbar puncture for nusinersen administration made up the vast majority of procedures for which patients with SMA presented for anesthesia care. The incidence of difficult intubation was 9.4%, and the incidence of anesthesia-related severe adverse events was 0.33%.
Study context
- Population
- Patients with spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) receiving anesthetics at a quaternary pediatric hospital, June 1, 2012, to December 30, 2023
- Participants
- 175 patients · 1,804 procedures
- Outcome
- Incidence of severe anesthesia-related adverse events and of difficult intubations; procedures performed
Methodological detailssingle-centre, quaternary children's hospital
- Single-centre
- Quaternary children's hospital
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Procedures for LP for nusinersen administration
- 1423/1804, 78.9%
- GA with ETT placement
- 234 of 1804 (13.0%)
- Difficult intubation, of all cases
- 22 of 1804 total cases (1.2%)
- Difficult intubation, of ETT placements
- 22 of 234 (9.4%)
- Severe anesthesia-related adverse events
- six (0.33%)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Difficult intubation vs SMA type, age, halo headframe
- No statistically significant associations
- all P > .05
Airway for LP for nusinersen administration
- Natural airway (nasal canula, facemask, or home CPAP or BiPAP) or pre-existing tracheostomy
- 1254 of 1423 (88.1%)
Safety
- Severe anesthesia-related adverse events
- six (0.33%)
Original publication
Anesthesia Care, Complications, and Airway Management for Patients With Spinal Muscular Atrophy: A Retrospective Chart Review From a Quaternary Children’s Hospital. Anesth Analg. Published 25 June 2026. doi:10.
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