[Chlorprothixene for premedication in children: oral versus intramuscular route (author's transl)].

The effect of chlorprothixene (Taractan), a neuroleptic agent, administered either intramuscularly (1 mg/kg) or orally as a 4% solution (1,5-2 mg/kg), was compared in a double-blind study in 200 children between 11 months and 10 years of age. In addition, intramuscular 1-hyoscyamine (Bellafolin) was given to all patients 30 minutes before the induction of anaesthesia (0.005-0.01 mg/kg). With regard to antisalivary action, suppression of reflex irritability, frequency of post-anaesthetic vomiting, postoperative sedation and requirement of postoperative analgesics, there was no significant difference between the two methods. Preoperative sedation was slightly more pronounced with the intramuscular technique. An undesirable side-effect, hypotension, was observed more often after intramuscular than oral premedication. To obtain optimum effect, an interval of 2 hours between the oral premedication and induction of anaesthesia is recommended.