Indian Journal of Clinical Anaesthesia
  • Year: 2018
  • Volume: 5
  • Issue: 3

Intranasal dexmedetomidine vs intranasal midazolam for premedication in paediatric patients undergoing surgery under general anaesthesia

1Associate Professor, Dept. of Anaesthesia, Command Hospital, Pune, Maharashtra

2Assistant Professor, Dept. of Anaesthesia, Shree Birendra Hospital, Kathmandhu, Nepal

3Associate Professor, Dept. of Anaesthesia, Neval Hospital, INHS Asvini Colaba, Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

*Corresponding Author: Email: drraiamit@gmail.com

Online published on 3 January, 2019.

Abstract

This prospective, randomized, double-blind study was conducted with an aim to compare the efficacy of intranasal dexmedetomidine and intranasal midazolam as premedication in uncooperative children undergoing elective surgery under general anaesthesia.

One hundred and twenty children in American Society of Anesthesiology classification (ASA) physical status I & II, in the age group of 2–12 years who were planned to undergo surgery under general anaesthesia, were included in the study and were randomly assigned to one of the two groups. Group D received 1 mcg/kg of IN dexmedetomidine while group M received 0.2 mcg/kg of IN midazolam for premedication. The patient's sedation status, separation anxiety and mask acceptance along with the hemodynamic parameters were noted.

Satisfactory sedation was achieved in 56% children in group M and 65% children in group D (p > 0.05). Compared with the children in group M, those in group D had significantly better satisfactory anxiolysis at the time of separation from the parents (56 vs 50; p < 0.05). Mask acceptance was better in group D (55 children in group D vs 36 children in group M; p < 0.05). Before parental separation, the heart rate was significantly lower in the dexmedetomidine group as compared to midazolam group (102.88 ± 6.07 vs 110 ± 7.34; p < 0.05).

Intranasal midazolam and dexmedetomidine are both effective as premedication in children undergoing surgery. However, intranasal dexmedetomidine offers better effect on sedation, alleviating separation anxiety and acceptance of facemask during induction than intranasal midazolam.

Keywords

Intranasal, Dexmedetomidine, Midazolam