EARLY INTRAVENOUS CANNULATION IN CHILDREN DURING INHALATIONAL INDUCTION OF ANESTHESIA

Intravenous cannulation is obtained in almost all patients scheduled f or operative intervention under anaesthesia. Ln our practice, inhalati onal induction precedes cannulation in children in order to avoid pain and discomfort, and cannulation is delayed until the child is adequat ely anaesthetized in fear of precipitating laryngospasm due to painful stimulus of venepuncture in the light stage of anaesthesia. This stud y was performed on 150 patients between two to eight years of age to d etermine if there is a difference in the incidence of untoward inciden ts, if cannulation is performed when children are lightly anaesthetize d (Early, Group E), as compared to when they are deeply anaesthetized (Late, Group L). In patients randomized to early cannulation, the resu lts showed that there was a significantly shorter time from induction to venous cannulation, the halothane concentration was lower at the ti me of cannulation, there was a greater incidence of movement on cannul ation and a greater incidence of changes in heart rate, blood pressure , and respiratory rate. There was no significant differences in the in cidence of laryngospasm or in the success rate of intravenous cannulat ion between the two groups. We conclude that venous cannulation can be safely performed during the light stages of anaesthesia.