Considerations for general anaesthesia in Parkinson's disease

Abstract

Parkinson's disease is a common neurodegenerative disorder in the elderly which when present has a significant influence on surgical management. These patients necessitate additional perioperative and anaesthetic considerations across disease specific domains as well as in relation to the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. This brief review focuses on the factors which contribute to perioperative morbidity, including the use of medications that may exacerbate symptoms or adversely interact with treatments for Parkinson's disease. Recommended dosing practices to reduce complications during hospitalisation are covered. In addition, recent concerns regarding anaesthetic exposure in early childhood as a risk factor for the development of Parkinson's disease are discussed in light of data from animal models of anaesthetic neurotoxicity and epidemiological studies.

Keywords: Anaesthesia; Neurotoxicity; Parkinson’s disease; Perioperative.