Oxygen saturation during intravenous sedation using midazolam.

Intravenous sedation with midazolam was given to young, fit, adult patients undergoing third molar surgery; oxygen saturation (SpO2) was continuously measured during the surgery and for 30 minutes after the surgery. There were some instances of a brief fall in the oxygen saturation, during the surgery and in the immediate period following surgery. It is suggested that it may be necessary to observe and selectively monitor some patients in the immediate post-surgical period as well as during the period of operation. Although not addressed by this investigation, this would be particularly true of medically compromised patients and the elderly.