Abstract
The effect of rectal midazolam on preanesthetic sedation was examined in 109children aged from one to six years. Children were divided into eight groups by administration timing (30 and 60 min before induction of anesthesia), dose (0.2 and 0.4 mg/kg) and age group (1-3 and 4-6 y. o.). To analyse the usefulness of rectal midazolam in each group, we used a five-step sedative score and dafined score 1 as "uneffective"(agitated during induction of anesthesia), score 2-4 as "effective"and score 5 as "over-sedated". In both groups in which midazolam were administered 30 or 60 min before induction of anesthesia, the percentage of "effective"in age group of 4-6 y. o. was 92-100% and significantly higher than that in age group of 1-3 y. o. (54-58%)regardless of the dose. These results suggest that rectal midazolam of 0.2-0.4mg/kg 30-60 min before induction of anesthesia is useful for preanesthetic sedation in pre-school children (4-6 y. o.), while in a lower age group (1-3 y. o.) it is unsatisfactory.
