Paediatric anaesthesia
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jan 2008
Sedation with ketamine and low-dose midazolam for short-term procedures requiring pharyngeal manipulation in young children.
Pediatric intestinal biopsy procedures including considerable transpharyngeal manipulation of a wire-guided metal capsule require adequate sedation or anesthesia. This retrospective cohort study was designed to evaluate intravenous sedation with ketamine and low-dose midazolam in young children undergoing these procedures before and also after discharge from the hospital. ⋯ Careful titration of ketamine and low-dose midazolam provides adequate sedation for nonsurgical pediatric short-term procedures also requiring considerable pharyngeal manipulation, particularly considering the low number of serious airway problems such as laryngospasm. The high incidence of late postoperative problems suggests that prospective studies should be designed for long-term follow-up of young children subjected to sedation or anesthesia.
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The aim of this study was to describe ketamine pharmacodynamics (PD) in children. Adult ketamine concentrations during recovery are reported as 0.74 mg.l(-1) (sd 0.24 mg.l(-1)) with an EC(50) for anesthesia of 2 mg.l(-1) (sd 0.5 mg.l(-1)), but pediatric data are few. ⋯ Concentrations associated with arousal in children are analogous to adults. The ability to recall and remember occurs at similar concentrations to those associated with arousal. A concentration of 1 mg.l(-1) was associated with a sedation level of three or less (arouses to consciousness with moderate tactile or loud verbal stimulus) in 95% of children while 1.5 mg.l(-1) was associated with a sedation level of two or less (rouses slowly to consciousness with sustained painful stimulus) in 95% of children. These concentrations can be attained for 3-4 min after 1 mg.kg(-1) and 1.5 mg.kg(-1) ketamine IV bolus, respectively. The mean arousal time can be anticipated at approximately 10 min (1 mg.kg(-1)) and 15 min (1.5 mg.kg(-1)).
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Paediatric anaesthesia · Jan 2008
Case ReportsAwake tracheal intubation through the laryngeal mask in neonates with upper airway obstruction.
Neonates with Pierre Robin or Treacher-Collins syndrome are at risk of upper airway obstruction and may require surgical fixation of the tongue to the mandible. Such neonates are at high risk of hypoxia during induction of anesthesia and thus awake fiberoptic intubation would be required. We experienced neonates in whom awake fiberoptic intubation could not be carried out, because of severe hypoxia. ⋯ No hypoxia occurred after insertion of the laryngeal mask. In a further two neonates with Treacher-Collins syndrome and in one neonate with Pierre Robin syndrome, awake fiberoptic intubation through the laryngeal mask was also successful. We believe that in neonates with predicted difficult intubation, who are at risk of upper airway obstruction and awake fiberoptic intubation could aggregate hypoxia, awake insertion of the laryngeal mask can be useful in facilitating oxygenation (by relieving upper airway obstruction) and in facilitating fiberoptic intubation.