title: Comparison of sevoflurane and halothane for outpatient dental anaesthesia in children.
abstract: In a prospective, randomized, double-blind clinical study, we have studied 100 children, aged 2-12 yr, to compare halothane and sevoflurane in outpatient dental anaesthesia. All patients were unpremedicated and received inhalation induction using nitrous oxide in oxygen supplemented with either halothane (maximum inspired concentration 5%) or sevoflurane (maximum inspired concentration 8%). Time to loss of the eyelash reflex was more rapid using sevoflurane although time to adequate anaesthesia (to allow insertion of a mouth prop) was slower in the sevoflurane group. The incidence of cardiac arrhythmia was higher during halothane (62%) than during sevoflurane anaesthesia (28%) (P < 0.005) and the arrhythmias were more often ventricular in origin. The two agents were comparable in terms of ease of use and quality of anaesthesia, and times to eye opening and satisfying discharge criteria were similar. We conclude that sevoflurane has qualities that have made halothane the most used inhalation agent for children, and that it is superior to halothane in dental outpatients where cardiac arrhythmias are a particular problem.
authors.affiliation: Anaesthetics Unit, Royal Hospitals NHS Trust, London.
authors.forename: S T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Paris
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Cafferkey
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Tarling
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Hancock
authors.forename: P M
authors.initials: PM
authors.lastname: Yate
authors.forename: P J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Flynn
mesh_terms: D000556:Ambulatory Surgical Procedures; D000766:Anesthesia, Dental / Q000379:methods*; D000769:Anesthesia, Inhalation / Q000379:methods; D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation / Q000009:adverse effects; D001145:Arrhythmias, Cardiac / Q000139:chemically induced; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004311:Double-Blind Method; D004987:Ethers / Q000009:adverse effects; D005260:Female; D006221:Halothane / Q000009:adverse effects; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D011446:Prospective Studies; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D014081:Tooth Extraction
chemical_list: D018685:Anesthetics, Inhalation; D004987:Ethers; D008738:Methyl Ethers; D000077149:Sevoflurane; D006221:Halothane