Anesthetists around the world work with diversion strategies during anesthetic induction for children. Diversions can greatly increase child comfort and reduce stress symptoms. Anesthesia can be induced intravenously, or anesthetic gas can be inhaled. The latter course requires 30-50 seconds (depending on patient breathing intensity) to take full effect.

Diversion strategies work well as long as no one touches the child or causes him or her to feel discomfort. Whenever there is discomfort, all known diversion maneuvers cease to function.

Scientists at the University Hospital Bonn have found a new method of complementing existing approaches with gamification strategies and children’s natural curiosity. Children are invited to play a game that requires breathing through a regular anesthetic circuit. The intensity of each breath is converted into an electronic pulse, which is then transmitted by Bluetooth to an app on a tablet or smartphone so that the child can use it to navigate an avatar through a labyrinth or play another age-appropriate game.

While the child plays, the anesthetist employs an inhaled anesthetic gas (sevoflurane), and the child goes to sleep without stress and without even noticing. No such device is currently available anywhere in the world.