Background: Neonates, infants and children frequently require sedation for diagnostic imaging procedures such as MRI or Computed Tomography (CT) to minimize motion artifacts. Pediatric patients who undergo radiologic procedures usually need both sedation and analgesia to endure the procedure and aid optimal conditions.
Objectives: The aim of this work was to study the two sedative regimens currently used for diagnostic MRI in our setup and devise a near effective protocol. This would aim at optimal sedation and simultaneously minimize the rate of complications in pediatric age group
Methods and Materials: In this study, 60 pediatric patients up to the age group of five years with American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) Class I III undergoing MRI studies were assessed. Our study was carried out with two sedative regimens routinely used in our setup. All the children in our study were supervised by anesthesia personnel, with appropriate monitoring and resuscitation equipment available at hand. They were observed following the procedure for a minimum of 2 hours in the recovery room and discharged only after ensuring that there were no post sedation complications.
Results: Both the groups showed no incidence of adverse events both during the procedure and in the recovery room. This suggests that in addition to having comparable efficacy and success rate with each other, both the multi-drug combinations are safe for sedation in pediatric age groups undergoing diagnostic MRI
Conclusion: Different setups will have various regimens of sedation for MRI studies in pediatric patients. This study emphasizes the importance of forming a fixed protocol for sedative regimens by testing these regimens and modifying them to suit individual setups.
Key words: MRI, sedative regimen, pediatric patients, anesthesia, diagnosis
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