title: The effect of different doses of propofol on tracheal intubating conditions without muscle relaxant in children.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Situations may occur in anaesthetic practice where the use of neuromuscular blocking drugs is unsuitable or contraindicated. We investigated the use of propofol given 5 min after fentanyl to permit endotracheal intubation in children.
  
  
  METHODS
  We studied the intubating conditions and cardiovascular parameters in 60 ASA I and II children. Intravenous midazolam (0.1 mg kg(-1)) was given as premedication 5 min before the induction of anaesthesia. The children received different doses of propofol (group I, 2.5 mg kg(-1); group II, 3.0 mg kg(-1); group III, 3.5 mg kg-1) preceded by fentanyl (3.0 microg kg(-1)) given 5 min earlier. No neuromuscular blocking agents were administered. The intubating conditions were assessed using a four-point scoring system based on the degree of difficulty of laryngoscopy, the position of vocal cords and the intensity of coughing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Tracheal intubating conditions were adequate in 20% of the patients in group I, in 75% of the patients in group II and in 80% of the patients in group III (P < 0.05 for group I vs. groups II and III). Haemodynamic changes were not significantly different between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Propofol (3.0 mg kg(-1)) preceded by fentanyl (3.0 microg kg(-1)) was adequate for the induction of anaesthesia in children and provided adequate tracheal intubating conditions without significant haemodynamic changes. This method represents a useful alternative technique for tracheal intubation when neuromuscular blocking drugs are contraindicated or should be avoided.
authors: Department of Anaesthesia, Faculty of Medical Sciences, State University of Campinas (UNICAMP), Campinas, SP, Brazil.
authors: A
authors: A
authors: De Fátima De Assunção Braga
authors: F S
authors: FS
authors: Da Silva Braga
authors: G M
authors: GM
authors: Potério
authors: P R
authors: PR
authors: Filier
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Cremonesi
mesh_terms: D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives / Q000008:administration & dosage; D007223:Infant; D007442:Intubation, Intratracheal; D008297:Male; D015742:Propofol / Q000008:administration & dosage; D014827:Vocal Cords / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D018686:Anesthetics, Intravenous; D006993:Hypnotics and Sedatives; D015742:Propofol