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DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.21088/ijaa.2349.8471.51118.18

Abstract

  Background: Emergence agitation (EA) is a known fact after general anaesthesia which is observed more in children and that too after sevoflurane anaesthesia. Dexmedetomidine and propofol are both known to reduce EA when used in prophylactic doses. The aim of our study was to compare the incidence of EA in preschool age group (< 5 years) with that of older children (> 5 ­ 12 years) in both dexmedetomidine and propofol group. Methods: Total 100 children having age less than 12 years and belonging to ASA I and II were included in the study. All of them received sevoflurane as inhalational anaesthetic agent. They were randomly divided in to two groups. About 5 minutes before the end of surgery, patients in group A received 0.3 µg/kg dexmedetomidine and group B patients received 1mg/kg propofol. The incidence of EA in both the groups was measured with Aono’s four point scale upon arrival in the post anaesthesia care recovery room. The database was analyzed using stata 12, epiinfo software and p value of < 0.05 was considered as level of significance. Results: The incidences of EA in < 5 years age group in group A and B was 21.05% and 40.91% respectively whereas; it was 3.23% and 21.43% in > 5 ­12 years age group. Conclusion: The incidences of EA were higher in pre­school ( 5 years) age group as compared to older children (> 5 ­12 years) age group in both group A and B who received dexmedetomidine at a dose of 0.3 ug/kg and propofol at a dose of 1mg/kg respectively.

Keywords : Emergence Agitation; Sevoflurane; Dexmedetomidine; Propofol; Aono’s Four Point Scale

Corresponding Author : Rahul Podder, Assistant Professor, Department of Anaesthesiology and Critical Care, Maharishi Markandeshwar Institute of Medical Sciences and Research, MM University, Mullana, Ambala, Haryana 133207, India.