[Intraoperative sedation by midazolam during spinal anesthesia. A study of elderly women undergoing surgery of the hip and femur neck]. / Sédation per-opératoire par le midazolam au cours des rachianesthésies. Etude chez la femme âgée en chirurgie de la hanche et du col du fémur.

Midazolam was studied as an IV sedative agent in 30 women aged of 75 years or more, undergoing hip surgery or Ender nailing, who received a spinal anaesthesia with 15 mg of plain bupivacaine. A mean dose of midazolam 0.077 mg.kg-1 was required to induce adequate sedation which was maintained by repeated doses of 2.5 mg. Post-operatively, no somnolence was noted at 2 hr. A marked amnesic effect was observed in 77% of cases. No clinically adverse cardiovascular or respiratory effects were encountered. It is concluded that midazolam is a useful sedative agent for spinal anaesthesia of short duration in the elderly.