The case report depicts scoliosis surgery and a wake-up test in a 14-year old girl with BMI 22.1 who was in care of a paediatric orthopaedic surgeon for idiopathic scoliosis. She wore a corset for four years but it was ineffective and scoliosis surgery became indicated.
The girl was in care of an endocrinologist due to thyroideal hypofuction and a paediatric cardiologist due to a persistent systolic murmur and bifascicular blockade. Appropriate choice of short acting and easy to control drugs used for the general anaesthesia, desflurane included, contributed to smooth surgery and rapid, full wakefulness necessary for the wake-up test.
Desflurane facilitates a reliable wake-up test in children undergoing scoliosis surgery and delivers safe and effective general anaesthesia.