Paediatric anaesthesia
-
Paediatric anaesthesia · Jan 1996
Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical TrialOral midazolam premedication for paediatric day case patients.
Forty-nine children having day-stay surgical procedures were randomly assigned to receive oral midazolam 0.75 mg.kg-1 or placebo in a double blind fashion. The child's level of anxiety was assessed before premedication using parental, child and observer scales. The child and observer anxiety scores were repeated in the anaesthetic room. ⋯ Observer scores decreased in the midazolam group (P < 0.02), but not in the placebo group, children below six years having the greatest decrease with midazolam. The median time to discharge from hospital was delayed by 30 min in the midazolam group (P < 0.01). Children do not require routine sedative premedication for day case procedures, but oral midazolam is useful in producing calm behaviour in those children with high observer anxiety scores.
-
Paediatric anaesthesia · Jan 1996
Case ReportsRegurgitation and aspiration of gastric contents in a child during general anaesthesia using the laryngeal mask airway.
We present a case report of a child who underwent general anaesthesia for elective surgery in whom regurgitation and aspiration of gastric contents were associated with the use of the laryngeal mask airway (LMA). Bronchospasm developed but mechanical ventilation was not required. The possible mechanisms causing regurgitation are discussed.
-
Paediatric anaesthesia · Jan 1996
Neuromuscular effects of rocuronium in children during halothane anaesthesia.
Rocuronium bromide, a nondepolarizing muscle relaxant has been shown to have a short onset and intermediate duration of action in adults and young children. We evaluated onset time, intubating conditions, as well as duration of action of rocuronium in children ages four to 12 years during nitrous oxide-halothane anaesthesia. Following a stable recording of train-of-four (TOF) impulses at the ulnar nerve, patients were given rocuronium 600 micrograms.kg-1 intravenously. ⋯ Time to recovery of N-M transmission to 25%, 75% and 90% of control was 29 +/- 8 min, 42 +/- 14 min and 46 +/- 16 min respectively. Heart rate increased approximately 12 BPM after drug injection, while the blood pressure remained unchanged. From our data we conclude that, as in other age groups, rocuronium has a rapid onset, intermediate duration of action in children 4-12 years of age, and appears devoid of significant side effects.
-
Paediatric anaesthesia · Jan 1996
Comparative StudyRecovery of psychomotor function following general anaesthesia in children: a comparison of propofol and thiopentone/halothane.
The present study was undertaken to compare immediate recovery and recovery of complex psychomotor function in 20 children (aged 6-12 years) following general anaesthesia with either thiopentone/halothane or propofol. Early recovery of psychomotor skills was significantly faster in the propofol group than in the thiopentone/halothane group. ⋯ The results indicate that the recovery of psychomotor function in paediatric patients following general anaesthesia with propofol is significantly faster than with thiopentone/halothane. This has important implications for parental satisfaction, the time over which patients need to be monitored in the recovery room and for the discharge criteria after daycase surgery.