The effects of midazolam administered postoperatively on emergence agitation in pediatric strabismus surgery.
BACKGROUND
The present study tested the effect of midazolam administration after sevoflurane anesthesia against emergence agitation in children in the recovery phase.


METHODS
A total of 60 children presenting for ophthalmic surgery under sevoflurane anesthesia were randomly placed in four groups from Group I to Group IV. Before the end of the surgery, we injected normal saline 2 ml in Group I and Group IV. We administered a 2-ml mixture of midazolam 0.025 mg/kg and midazolam 0.050 mg/kg to Group II and Group III respectively. Among the patients with agitation scores 4 or 5 in the peostanesthesia care unit (PACU), Group IV patients were intravenously given a 1-ml mixture of midazolam 0.025 mg/kg and normal saline up to 3 times. Agitation parameters, anesthesia recovery times, and the total administration amounts of midazolam were measured.


RESULTS
Extubation time was significantly longer and maximum agitation scores higher in Group III than in Group I. The rate of the length of the period when the agitation score was 4 or 5 out of the length of stay in the PACU was significantly lower in Group II, Group III, and Group IV than in Group I. The length of stay in the PACU was significantly longer in Group III, and Group IV than in Group I.


CONCLUSIONS
For pediatric patients under sevoflurane anesthesia, postoperative midazolam administration slightly prolonged the length of stay in the PACU. But it effectively reduced emergence agitation without any side effects.
Bae
Jin Ho
JH
Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Chungbuk National University College of Medicine, Cheongju, Korea.
Koo
Bon-Wook
BW
Kim
Seon-Jung
SJ
Lee
Dong-Hun
DH
Lee
Eui-Tai
ET
Kang
Chang-Jin
CJ