ABSTRACT
Objective:To evaluate the effect of remimazolam combined with propofol for sedation in the pediatric patients undergoing outpatient root canal treatment.Methods:Seventy pediatric patients of either sex, aged 2-6 yr, of American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status Ⅰ or Ⅱ, with an expected treatment time<1 h, scheduled for elective outpatient root canal treatment, were divided into 2 groups ( n=35 each) using a random number table method: propofol group (P group) and remimazolam plus propofol group (RP group). Induction of anesthesia was as follows: propofol 1-3 mg/kg was intravenously injected until BIS value was less than 60 in group P, and remimazolam 0.2 mg/kg and propofol 1-3 mg/kg were intravenously injected until BIS value was less than 60 in group RP.Anesthesia maintenance was as follows: propofol 6-12 mg·kg -1·h -1 was intravenously infused in group P, and remimazolam 0.3 mg·kg -1·h -1 and propofol 6-12 mg·kg -1·h -1 were intravenously infused in group RP.The BIS value was maintained at 50-70 during operation.Spontaneous breathing was kept, and oxygen was inhaled through a nasal catheter with oxygen flow rate of 2-3 L/min in both groups.The amount of propofol consumed during induction and maintenance periods and the total consumption were recorded.The onset time of sedation, duration of operation, emergence time and duration of post-anesthesia care unit stay were recorded.The adverse reactions such as intraoperative respiratory depression, hypotension, bradycardia, coughing and body movement, emergence agitation and postoperative nausea and vomiting were recorded. Results:Compared with group P, the amount of propofol consumed during induction and maintenance periods and the total consumption were significantly reduced, the onset time of sedation was prolonged, the emergence time and duration of post-anesthesia care unit stay were shorted, the incidence of respiratory depression was decreased ( P<0.05), and no significant change was found in the incidence of duration of operation, hypotension, bradycardia, body movement or emergence agitation in group RP ( P>0.05). No intraoperative coughing or postoperative nausea and vomiting was found in two groups. Conclusions:The combination of remimazolam and propofol provides better efficacy than propofol alone when used for sedation in the pediatric patients undergoing outpatient dental root canal treatment.