Anaesthesia in children

• Be sure to bring the signed document 'Informed Consent for Surgery on a Minor Patient' with you to the hospital.

• We also ask that children not eat before undergoing surgery. Click here for the arrangements around this. You can also find the information in the video above or in our leaflet.
  
• We usually use mask anaesthesia until the age of about 10. As with adults, for children older than 10, we prefer the normal technique of using IV anaesthesia.
• In our hospital, children (aged 14 or younger) can be accompanied by their parent or guardian, including up to when they enter the operating room. Once the child is under anaesthesia, the parent or guardian is led out of the operating facilities. Due to the sterile environment and to respect other patients' privacy, you are not allowed to stay in the operating facilities.
• After the operation, your child will be taken to the recovery room designed specially for children. As soon as your child is in the recovery room, safe and pain free, one parent or guardian may visit the child. Afterwards, the child's nurse, together with the parent or guardian, will accompany the child back to the ward.

To prepare young children (aged 3-6) for their hospital stay, we created the story of Marie with her 'little sick ears'. The entire process from preparation at home to her departure from the hospital is covered. Dr Yann Vandormael and illustrator Liesbet Slegers (known from the book series about Karel, Kaatje, Rik and Sam) joined forces for this project. Your specialist will give you this in preparation for the surgery.

Would you rather watch a film? That’s possible!

Feel free, before the operation, to go on a virtual visit to the operating facilities at Maria Middelares General Hospital.

A virtual visit to the operating facilities at St Vincent General Hospital in Deinze is not possible.