Remifentanil and propofol for sedation in children and young adolescents undergoing diagnostic flexible bronchoscopy

Flexible fibreoptic bronchoscopy (FOB) has become a useful diagnostic and t herapeutic procedure in children. We investigated 26 patients (3-14 years) for FOE using a new sedation strategy. All patients received oral premedica tion and inhalation of topical anaesthetic. Sedation for bronchoscopy was a chieved with a continuous infusion of remifentanil and intermittent boluses of propofol. Propofol injection was repeated if sedation was inadequate. S edation could be successfully performed in all children without adverse eff ects. Endtidal CO2 concentration and arterial oxygen saturation remained st able throughout the study. All children were awake 5 +/- 1.3 min after stop ping remifentanil infusion. Sedation with remifentanil/propofol is a new se dation strategy for diagnostic flexible paediatric bronchoscopy in children with spontaneous ventilation.