Revi N1, Rajagopal P2, Vaisakh V3
AIM
Preoperative anxiety is one of the most common problems faced by anyone practising paediatric anaesthesia. Various drugs have been used in various routes to get a calm but cooperative child before induction of anaesthesia. Midazolam and dexmedetomidine have already proved their value in paediatric premedication. This study was conducted to compare the effects of these two drugs given intranasally.
MATERIALS AND METHODS
100 children falling under the inclusion criteria were assigned to groups of 50 each. They received either intranasal midazolam 0.2 mg/kg (group M) or intranasal dexmedetomidine 2 mcg/kg (Group D) as premedication. They were compared with regards to the sedation status, anxiety levels and cardiovascular status every 10 minutes, at parental separation and at face mask application.
RESULTS
The mean sedation score obtained at all-time intervals, at parental separation and more importantly at mask induction were much lower for the midazolam group compared to the dexmedetomidine group. The mean anxiety levels, in general, were lower in the midazolam group, but they attained statistical significance only at 10 minutes and at mask induction. The heart rate measured up to 20 minutes after drug administration did not show much difference between both groups, but at 30 minutes, 40 minutes and at parental separation, heart rate was found to be lower in the dexmedetomidine group.
CONCLUSION
Intranasal dexmedetomidine and intranasal midazolam are equally effective in providing satisfactory parental separation, but intranasal midazolam produced superior conditions for mask acceptance than intranasal dexmedetomidine.
