Clinical applications for pediatric sedation

In the last 5 years, the number of nonoperating room procedures performed on the pediatric population requiring sedation has skyrocketed. Some of these procedures, such as bone marrow aspiration or dental restorations, may be painful, whereas others, such as magnetic resonance imaging, are not painful but require a motionless patient. Anesthesia departments are being tasked more and more frequently to provide the sedation and monitoring for these procedures. The pediatric patient offers unique challenges in attaining the desired level of sedation for the optimal duration of time, without compromising protective reflexes, a patent airway, or cardiopulmonary stability. Currently, there are several medications or combinations of medications that offer advantages over the commonly used chloral hydrate and "lytic" cocktail. Selection of medication(s) should be based on the type of procedure (painful v painless), the length of the procedure, the medical condition of the patient (current medications, fasting status, and disease processes or metabolic disorders), and the need for anxiolysis or amnesia. This article briefly reviews: (1) developmental changes and metabolic capacity in the pediatric patient; (2) the American Academy of Pediatrics guidelines for care of the pediatric patient undergoing sedation; (3) basic pharmacology of sedative-hypnotics and opioids; and (4) patient monitoring and discharge.