ANAESTHETICS given to newborn babies could damage their brains.
So say neurologists, whose concern stems from animal studies which have shown that the drugs kill large numbers of neurons in the brains of two-week-old rats – the equivalent developmental stage to a newborn child. Implications for infant surgery are unclear. Many babies need operations to save their lives, but a delay of just a few weeks could offset the dangers of anaesthetics, the researchers say, and surgeons should be aware of the risks.
The damage appears to be worst when coupled with brain surgery, says Kerry Thompson of the VA Medical…
