Single dose diclofenac reduces agitation after sevoflurane anesthesia in children

ABSTRACT

Emergence agitation is a common side effect of sevoflurane anesthesia in children. Diclofenac, because its analgesic properties, might be useful for the mangement of this adverse effect. We studied the effect of Diclofenac recovery characteristics in 50 children aged 6 mo. to 5 yr, scheduled to undergo inginal hernioraphy. All children were premedicated with oral midazolam 0.5 mg/kg After inhaled induction with sevoflurane, patients were randomly assigned to receive either saline [n=25] or rectal diclofenac 1mg/kg [n=25]. Maintenance of anesthesia was with 2% sevoflurane, 50% nitrous oxide and atracurium with mechanical ventilation. Intra-operative hemodynamic and oxygenation variables are recorded every 5 min. At the end of anesthesia TEO, recovery time, discharge time and incidence of agitation were detected. There were significant reduction in agitation score and incidence of agitation in diclofenac group without affection the recovery or the discharge time. We conclude that a dose of diclofenac of 1 mg/kg administered after induction of anesthesia reduces the post sevoflurane agitation in children, with no adverse effects