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High dose chloral hydrate sedation for children undergoing CT
S B Greenberg1, E N Faerber, C L Aspinall
1Department of Radiology, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, PA 19134-1095.
Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography
|May 1, 1991
Summary
High dose oral chloral hydrate (80-100 mg/kg) is safe and effective for sedating children before CT scans. This study found minimal adverse reactions and a high success rate for motion-free imaging.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric imaging
- Pharmacology
- Radiology
Background:
- Chloral hydrate is a common sedative for pediatric CT scans.
- No prior prospective studies evaluated high-dose chloral hydrate safety and efficacy in children.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the safety and efficacy of high-dose oral chloral hydrate (80-100 mg/kg) for pediatric CT sedation.
Main Methods:
- Oral chloral hydrate (80-100 mg/kg, max 2g) administered to 295 children for 326 CT examinations.
- Adverse reactions, sedation success, and need for repeat scans were monitored.
Main Results:
- Adverse reactions occurred in 7% of children, most commonly vomiting (4.3%).
- Hyperactivity and respiratory symptoms were infrequent (<2%).
- Successful, motion-free CT scans achieved in 93% of cases, avoiding repeat scans.
Conclusions:
- High-dose oral chloral hydrate is a safe and effective sedation method for pediatric CT.
- It minimizes motion artifacts and the need for repeat imaging procedures.