DEEP SEDATION WITH PROPOFOL IN PRESCHOOL-CHILDREN UNDERGOING RADIATION-THERAPY

Immobilization of children undergoing radiation therapy always require s anaesthesia. Deep sedation with continuous infusion of propofol and spontaneous breathing, (we call it 'sedative anaesthesia'), may be an alternative to general anaesthesia with intubation and controlled vent ilation. This clinical report deals with 155 anaesthetics performed in 11 consecutive paediatric oncology patients, mean age 30 months (rang e 19-42), who required radiation therapy for from seven to 33 consecut ive days. Mean duration of anaesthesia was 18 (+/-11) mins. For induct ion, a loading dose of 3.6 (SD+/-0.59) mg . kg(-1) propofol was admini stered immediately followed by a continuous infusion of 7.4 (+/-2.2) m g . kg(-1). h(-1) for maintenance of anaesthesia. There were no compli cations of clinical importance involving respiration, circulation or n eurology, except for one short episode of transient desaturation, whic h was managed by suctioning and changing head position. Children opene d their eyes spontaneously four (+/-3.7) min after discontinuing the p ropofol infusion and could be discharged about 30 mins later. Tachyphy laxis or unpleasant side effects during and after anesthesia have not been observed. Sedative anaesthesia with propofol seems to be an excel lent method to immobilize paediatric patients during radiotherapeutic procedures.