Routines for reducing the occurrence of emergence agitation during awakening in children, a national survey

• Published in: SpringerPlus 2014-09, Vol.3 (1), p.572-572, Article 572
• Main Authors: Jildenstål, Pether K, Rawal, Narinder, Hallén, Jan L, Berggren, Lars, Jakobsson, Jan G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Emergence agitation; Generalanesthesia; Humanities and Social Sciences; Medicine; multidisciplinary; Postoperative pain; Postoperative recovery and volatile anesthetics; Premedication; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Volatile anesthetics
• ISSN: 2193-1801; 2193-1801
• DOI: 10.1186/2193-1801-3-572

Emergence agitation following anesthesia in children is not uncommon. It is, although generally self-limiting, associated with both patient and parents distress. We conducted a national survey around the management of behavioral and neurocognitive disturbances after surgery/anesthesia including a case scenario about a child at risk for emergence reaction. Premedication with clonidine or midazolam would have been used 58 and 37% of responders respectively. A propofol based anesthesia was the most common anesthetic technique, however sevoflurane or desflurane was an option for 45 and 8% of responders. Before awakening 65% would have administered an opioid, 48% a low-dose of propofol and 25% clonidine. Sign or symptoms of behavioral disturbance was not assessed by standardize assessment tools. A majority of Swedish anesthesia personnel would undertake some preventive action when handling a child at risk for an emergence reaction, the preventive measure differed and it seems as there is an obvious room for further improvements.