Continuous infusion of propofol for sedation of pediatric patients following open-heart surgery

Introduction

The aim of this study was to prospectively evaluate safety and efficacy of propofol infusion as an alternative sedative agent in children with open-heart surgery.

Methods

Twenty-nine pediatric patients with complex congenital lesions, aged between 4 and 48 months, who underwent open-heart surgery, received propofol infusion as sedation after midazolam infusion was ineffective. The effective sedative dose of propofol was between 1.5 and 7.0 mg/kg per h (median 3 mg/kg per h). Measurement of heart rate (HR) electrocardiogram (ECG), blood pressure (BP), arterial blood gas (ABG) including pH, bicarbonate (HCO₃), partial carbon dioxide pressure (PCO₂), and blood oxygen saturation (PO₂); and blood chemistry including liver function tests (LFTs), triglycerides (TG), and total bilirubin (TB), were all done prior to and during propofol therapy.

Results

After 10–288 h of propofol infusion (median 74 h), no statistically significant differences were found in the parameters measured except a decrease in median HR with attendant decrease in BP, and an increase in median TG.

Conclusion

Continuous sedation with propofol is a safe and effective, alternative agent for sedation of infants and children after surgical repair of compex congenital heart disease.

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