Pre-assessment of severely handicapped patients suitable of dental treatment under general anesthesia.
OBJECTIVE
To analyze the importance of an individualized preoperative assessment in severely handicapped patients suitable of dental treatment under general anesthesia (GA).


METHODS
The study group consisted of 564 patients referred to a Special Needs Unit specialized in the dental care of handicapped people, who would be treated under GA. Medical and dental records of every patient were evaluated, as well as the findings in the oral examination and the assessment carried out by the anesthesiologists.


RESULTS
Approximately 15% of patients (n=84) did not have any dental needs at the time of the examination; 42% (n=234) underwent treatment under GA and 43% (n=242) were treated under local anesthesia. Only 1.7% of the patients liable to undergo GA were discharged by the anesthesiologist due to their systemic condition. Medical and dental complications were scarce and, generally mild. During the follow-up period (mean 44 +/- 6 months) 4.8% of patients needed another treatment session under GA due to new dental pathology.


CONCLUSIONS
Applying systematic selection criteria to perform any dental treatment under GA in severely handicapped patients reduces the indiscriminate use of this technique, minimizing complications as well as the necessity of new interventions.
Unidad de Pacientes Especiales, Facultad de Medicina y Odontología, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, España.
Jacobo
J
Limeres Posse
Emma
E
Vázquez García
Juan
J
Medina Henríquez
Inmaculada
I
Tomás Carmona
Javier
J
Fernández Feijoo
Pedro
P
Diz Dios
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000768:Anesthesia, General / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003730:Dental Care for Persons with Disabilities / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012720:Severity of Illness Index