Sevoflurane for ENT-surgery in children. A comparison with halothane.

Sevoflurane, a new volatile anesthetic agent, is of great potential interest in pediatric anesthesia. Its use for ENT surgery in children was compared with halothane in this study. Altogether 40 children participated in the investigation. In 18 (median age 4.2 years), halothane was used. The remainder (median age 4.0 years) were anesthetized with sevoflurane. After rectal premedication with midazolam and atropine, anesthesia was induced by mask (the agent in O2/N2O, 40/60) using a Mapleson D system. The trachea was intubated without the use of muscle relaxants and the children were then allowed to breathe spontaneously at fresh gas flows set high enough to avoid rebreathing. Hemoglobine oxygen saturation (SpO2), inspired and expired gas concentrations, respiratory rate (RR), heart rate (HR), ECG and blood pressure were followed. Equianesthetic concentrations of the agents were used and induction characteristics were comparable between the two agents. RR and end-tidal CO2 tensions were similar in the two groups. HR and systolic blood pressures were, however, higher with sevoflurane. Cardiac arrhythmias were seen more frequently with halothane (61%) than with sevoflurane (5%). During emergence, postoperative nausea/vomiting was more frequent after halothane anesthesia. Initially, postoperative excitement occurred more often after sevoflurane, when paracetamol was given during anesthesia, which was reduced (P < 0.01) when paracetamol was given at the time for premedication. It is concluded that sevoflurane is an excellent induction agent, and maintains heart rate and systolic blood pressure better than when halothane is used. The incidence of cardiac arrhythmia is lower with sevoflurane than with halothane.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)