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

Computerised axial tomography requires total immobility, which must be obtained by a simple and safe technique of anaesthesia. Three anaesthesia techniques were used and analysed in 54 children aged less than 5 years: the technique of the feeding bottle, sedation with pentobarbital or diazepam and general anaesthesia with ketamine hydrochloride. The technique of the feeding bottle can be proposed in selected patients. Sedation can be also used but judiciously, not to deep. The systematic use of an depression immobilizing mattress with these two techniques gives better results. Intramuscular ketamine hydrochloride, when not contrindicate (intracranial hypertension or acute hydrocephaly), has been used always successfully.