Military medicine
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of rectal to intranasal administration of midazolam for premedication of children.
Sixty children aged 3 to 9, undergoing minor surgical procedures, were studied to compare 0.5 mg/kg intranasal with 0.5 mg/kg rectal midazolam as a premedication. The children were evaluated for their ability to tolerate the medication, preanesthetic sedation, and alertness after anesthesia. ⋯ Rectal midazolam was much better tolerated by the children than the intranasal route (30 versus 3, p < 0.0001). We advocate the rectal over the intranasal route for premedication with midazolam in children, and anesthetic induction should occur no more than 30 minutes after administration of premedication.