Initial experience with intravenous pentobarbital sedation for children undergoing MRI at a tertiary care pediatric hospital: the learning curve

Objective. Our purpose is to describe the initial experience with intraveno us pentobarbital sedation in children undergoing MRI at a tertiary pediatri c hospital to identify errors associated with inexperience. Subjects and methods. The study included the first 100 children sedated wit h intravenous pentobarbital prior to magnetic resonance examination at a te rtiary pediatric hospital. The protocol included a maximum dose of 6 mg/kg administered in three divided doses with the total dose not to exceed 200 m g. Flow sheets documenting vital signs, administered drug doses, and advers e reactions were maintained contemporaneous to sedation. Results. Sedation was successful in 92 children. Of the eight children who failed sedation, three were at least 12 years old and three weighed more th an 50 kg. chi(2) tests identified significantly greater failure rates in ch ildren older than 11 years or weight greater than 50 kg. Two children had p rolonged sedation after the maximum suggested dose was exceeded. Conclusions. The success rate was good, but could have been improved by res tricting the use of pentobarbital to children less than 12 years of age and weighing less than 50 kg. Radiologists inexperienced with intravenous seda tion should strictly observe the maximum suggested dose of pentobarbital to prevent prolonged sedation.