EFFICACY AND SAFETY OF GENERAL ANESTHESIA AND SEDATION FOR MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING EXAMINATION IN CHILDREN

Aim: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of this sedation protocol and to emphasize that pediatric patients need an MRI kit with general anesthesia equipment.

Place and Duration: In the Pediatrics and radiology department of Jinnah Hospital Lahore for one-year duration from June 2019 to June 2020.

Patients and Methods: Nine hundred and twenty-five patients underwent Magnetic Resonance Imaging. Oral sedation was to be administered to children up to 5 years of age. Oral sedation consisted of oral administration of 90 mg / kg of lymphatic hydrate. All MRI orders for unsuccessful oral sedation and those referred for general anesthesia were reviewed by an anesthetist consultant, who then assigned patients to surgery under general anesthesia or intravenous sedation. Intravenous sedation consisted of either propofol 0.5 mg / kg bolus followed by infusion or midazolam 0.2-0.5 mg / kg. General anesthesia was performed with sevoflurane, and intravenous propofol was introduced.

Results: Five hundred and fifteen patients (57.15%) scans were done without sedation. On the other hand, 46 scans were performed during sessions supervised by a consultant anesthesiologist. Oral sedation was unsuccessful in 25 of 364 patients (6.9%). Eighty-seven percent of children 5 years of age and under required sedation compared with 4.5% of children aged 10 and over.

Conclusion: This study concluded the structured sedation protocol for MRI scanning as it is both effective and safe.

Keywords: measurement techniques, magnetic resonance imaging, anesthesia, pediatric sedation.