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[Amnesic effect of oral midazolam as premedication in children]
1Department of Anesthesiology, Kyoto Prefectural University of Medicine.
Insights
Oral midazolam effectively reduces children's memory of unpleasant surgical experiences. This premedication aids in forgetting operating room events, positively impacting postoperative emotional responses.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Pediatric Pharmacology
Context:
- Premedication in pediatric surgery is crucial for managing anxiety and memory.
- Oral midazolam offers a non-invasive option for pediatric preanesthetic medication.
Purpose:
- To evaluate the sedative and amnesic effects of oral midazolam in children undergoing elective minor surgery.
- To compare the efficacy of midazolam plus atropine versus atropine alone as premedication.
Summary:
- Sixteen children (4-12 years) received either oral midazolam (0.5 mg/kg) with atropine or atropine alone.
- No significant difference in sedation was observed between groups.
- Midazolam induced significant anterograde amnesia, with 75% of children unable to recall dolls seen in the operating room, but no retrograde amnesia.
Impact:
- Oral midazolam can help children forget distressing perioperative memories, potentially improving postoperative emotional well-being.
- This study supports the use of oral midazolam 0.5 mg/kg as an effective preanesthetic medication in pediatric patients.
Abstract:
We evaluated the sedative and amnesic effects of oral midazolam as premedication in children. Sixteen children, aged 4-12 yr, undergoing elective minor surgery were divided into 2 groups. One group received midazolam 0.5 mg.kg-1 with atropine 0.03 mg.kg-1 orally. The other control group received only atropine 0.03 mg.kg-1. There was no significant difference in the sedative scale at induction between the 2 groups. Doll-recall was used to assess the amnesic effects. In the midazolam group, 75% of the children forgot dolls they had seen on entering the operating room. Midazolam produced significant anterograde amnesia but no retrograde amnesia. This result suggests that children who received midazolam as premedication forget unpleasant memories at induction and their postoperative emotional responses are least influenced by their memories. We conclude that oral midazolam 0.5 mg.kg-1 is an effective preanesthetic medication in children.