THE EFFECT OF PREMEDICATION ON OXYGEN-SATURATION DURING THE POST-PREMEDICATION PERIOD IN 20 CHINESE CHILDREN UNDERGOING ELECTIVE SURGERY

Peri-operative continuous pulse oximetric data were studied in healthy Chinese children randomly allocated to receive either pethidine 1 mg kg-1 and atropine 0.02 mg kg-1 intramuscularly 90 min prior to surgery (n = 10), or midazolam 0.5 mg kg-1 and atropine 0.02 mg kg-1 orally, 120 min before surgery (n = 10). Data were collected during the night before surgery, after premedication and for 8h post-operatively. The p ulse oximeter (Nellcor N-200E) output was retrospectively evaluated us ing Satmaster(TM), a computer programme which permits storage, retriev al, signal evaluation and compilation of oximetric data. There was no significant difference in the frequency, duration, or magnitude of des aturation episodes recorded during the post-premedication period compa red to the desaturation episodes which occurred in the same child duri ng normal sleep, on the night before surgery. Furthermore, there was n o significant difference in the desaturation data between the two prem edicant regimens. No child recorded a genuine desaturation less than 8 0% for longer than 15 s at any time during the study. Neither regimen significantly depressed saturation in otherwise healthy children prese nting for minor surgical procedures.