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Rectal thiopental sodium for sedation of pediatric patients undergoing MR and other imaging studies

C M Glasier1, J E Stark, R Brown

  • 1Department of Radiology, Arkansas Children's Hospital, Little Rock 72202.

AJNR. American Journal of Neuroradiology
|January 1, 1995
PubMed

Insights

Rectal thiopental sodium effectively sedates pediatric patients for imaging procedures. This method is safe, with minor side effects reported in a small percentage of children.

Area of Science:

  • Pediatric Anesthesiology
  • Radiology

Background:

  • Sedation is often necessary for pediatric imaging.
  • Alternative sedation methods may have limitations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate the efficacy and safety of rectal thiopental sodium for pediatric sedation during imaging.
  • To assess the success rate and adverse events associated with this sedation method.

Main Methods:

  • A study involving 462 infants and children sedated with rectal thiopental sodium for MR, CT, or nuclear imaging.
  • Patients underwent pre-sedation screening and monitoring via pulse oximetry and direct observation.
  • 24-hour telephone follow-up was conducted for 325 patients to assess delayed side effects.

Main Results:

  • Successful completion of imaging examinations in 96% of patients.
  • Average sedation onset was 12.2 minutes, with discharge from radiology after an average of 71.1 minutes.
  • 11% experienced transient desaturation, and 34% reported minor side effects like rectal irritation, drowsiness, or nausea.

Conclusions:

  • Rectal thiopental sodium is a safe and effective agent for pediatric sedation in imaging.
  • The procedure demonstrated a high success rate with manageable adverse events.
Abstract

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