Managing the adverse event occurring during elective, ambulatory pediatric surgery

Adverse medical events occurring in the context of care of children undergoing elective surgical procedures are usually truly unexpected occurrences with the potential for long-term consequences. Such events, when they occur, are obviously devastating to the patient and family, but frequently also to the pediatric surgeon and his/her team. When such events occur, it is important to ensure uninterrupted care of the patient, a full disclosure of events leading to harm, and an ongoing accessibility to the family for disclosure of new information as it becomes available. Finally, it is important that the adverse event be systematically reviewed as a “critical incident,” so that opportunities for practice improvement leading to enhanced patient safety can be realized and compliance with new care standards monitored through ongoing quality assurance.