[Anaesthesia for computerised axial tomography in children (author's transl)]

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Anesthesiology
• Medical Imaging
• Radiology

Background:

• Computerized axial tomography (CAT) requires complete patient immobility for accurate imaging.
• Safe and simple anesthesia techniques are essential for pediatric patients undergoing CAT scans.
• Evaluating different anesthesia methods is crucial for optimizing pediatric imaging procedures.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze and compare three anesthesia techniques for pediatric patients under 5 years old undergoing CAT scans.
• To determine the safety and efficacy of each anesthesia method in achieving necessary immobility.

Main Methods:

• Study included 54 children under 5 years of age.
• Anesthesia techniques evaluated: feeding bottle, sedation (pentobarbital or diazepam), and general anesthesia (ketamine hydrochloride).
• Systematic use of an immobilizing mattress was assessed with feeding bottle and sedation techniques.

Main Results:

• The feeding bottle technique is suitable for selected pediatric patients.
• Judicious sedation (not too deep) combined with an immobilizing mattress yielded better results.
• Intramuscular ketamine hydrochloride was consistently successful when no contraindications (e.g., intracranial hypertension) were present.

Conclusions:

• The feeding bottle technique and carefully managed sedation are viable anesthesia options for pediatric CAT scans.
• An immobilizing mattress significantly improves the effectiveness of non-general anesthesia techniques.
• Ketamine hydrochloride provides a successful general anesthesia option for pediatric CAT scans when appropriate.