Effects of thiopental on middle cerebral artery blood velocities: a transcranial Doppler study in children.

The effect of an intravenous injection of thiopental on middle cerebral artery blood velocities was assessed by transcranial pulsed Doppler monitoring in 20 children: ten head-injured patients and ten control subjects. Thiopental induced a moderate but immediate decrease of middle cerebral artery blood velocities in both groups; this variation was significant (P < 0.01) and more prolonged in the head-injured than in control patients. Transcranial Doppler ultrasonography thus appears to be suitable for monitoring children in intensive care units and could help to avoid the use of thiopental in patients with low cerebral artery blood flow velocity.