Learning objectives

• Describe the general considerations for patients with genetic disorders

Background

• Genetic syndromes are defined as the occurrence of more than one recognizable phenotypic trait in a specific association, caused by a specific genetic defect
• As molecular diagnosis is advancing rapidly, increasingly more syndromes are found to have a genetic cause
• Many children with genetic syndromes require anesthesia as part of their treatment

Anesthetic considerations

Suggested reading

• Mann D, Garcia PJ, Andropoulos DB. Anesthesia for the Patient with a Genetic Syndrome.  Gregory’s Pediatric Anesthesia2020. p. 1085-105.

Clinical updates

Zaleski et al. (Anesthesia & Analgesia, 2025) identify genetic syndromes as an independent risk factor for vascular complications (arterial thrombosis, pulse loss) during central arterial line placement in pediatric cardiac surgery. This directly reinforces a key general principle in syndromic patients: abnormal vascular anatomy, fragility, and altered physiology increase procedural risk, requiring modified anesthetic and monitoring strategies.

• Read more about this study HERE.