ANESTHETIC MANAGEMENT IN HEAD, NECK, AND FACE SURGERIES: COMPLEXITY AND CURRENT STRATEGIES

Abstract

Introduction: Anesthesia in head, neck, and facial surgeries is highly complex due to delicate anatomy, risk of difficult airways, and the possibility of bleeding, requiring rigorous perioperative planning and a multidisciplinary approach. Studies from the last 10 years have shown advances in safety and specialized anesthetic management. Objective: To synthesize evidence from a systematic literature review on anesthetic management in these surgeries. Methodology: The review followed the PRISMA checklist, using PubMed, SciELO, and Web of Science, with articles from the last 10 years. The descriptors used were "general anesthesia," "head and neck surgery," "maxillofacial surgery," "perioperative management," and "anesthetic safety." Inclusion criteria were studies with adults, clinical articles, and complete reviews; exclusion criteria included duplicate studies, pediatric studies, and studies not directly related to surgical anesthesia. Results: A predominance of airway management strategies was observed, in addition to hypotensive anesthesia for bleeding control and multimodal analgesia for better recovery. Advances in monitoring and preventing respiratory and hemodynamic complications were also highlighted. Conclusion: It was concluded that anesthetic management in these surgeries required a highly specialized approach, focusing on airway safety, individualized planning, and team integration, improving postoperative outcomes.