Nitrous oxide-oxygen or oral midazolam for pediatric outpatient sedation

Behaviour management for anxious paediatric dental patients is challenging. Solutions include education and sedation. Various drugs have been used to effectively sedate paediatric patients during treatment. The aim of this study was to review literature on the sedation of paediatric patients. The study specifically looked at those reviews covering the combination of two sedation methods in case of more challenging paediatric patients. The study undertook a literature review focused on studies using nitrous oxide, Midazolam, or a combination of the two substances. An electronic search was done on EBSCOhost to source articles published from 1979 to 2019. A deeper form of sedation can be achieved for paediatric patients when using a combination of nitrous oxide, oxygen and a hypnotic agent such as Midazolam. Dealing with the anxiety levels of paediatric patients is a challenge for dental health providers. Two of the main strategies used to deal with anxious children are behaviour management and sedation. A critical review of journal articles on the use of nitrous oxide and oxygen in combination with Midazolam was therefore undertaken. The findings suggest that, in order to achieve a deeper form of sedation, the combination of nitrous oxide, oxygen and Midazolam works well to reduce discomfort, anxiety and/or pain in paediatric patients.

Download Full-text

Comparison of Nitrous Oxide-Oxygen as Inhalation Agent, Midazolam, Ketamine alone and in Combination as Oral Sedative Agents for In-office Paediatric Patients- A Randomised Control Trial

JOURNAL FOR CLINICAL AND DIAGNOSTIC RESEARCH ◽

10.7860/jcdr/2021/48519.15270 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Monika Nagpal ◽

Mohan Lal Khatri ◽

Anil Gupta ◽

Ankit Srivastava ◽

Shalini Garg

Keyword(s):

Nitrous Oxide ◽

Local Anaesthesia ◽

Randomised Control Trial ◽

Old Patients ◽

Oxygen Saturation Level ◽

Oral Ketamine ◽

Paediatric Patients ◽

Oral Midazolam ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Nitrous Oxide Oxygen

Introduction: In-office pharmacological sedation techniques are best applied to manage an extremely fearful preschooler, especially during primary dentition or a child’s early mixed dentition period. These should be used when non pharmacological behavioural management techniques fail either due to lack of communication or in children with special care needs. Aim: To compare the efficacy of oral administrations of midazolam, ketamine, combination of midazolam-ketamine (M+K) and nitrous oxide-oxygen (N2O) inhalational sedation in achieving favorable behavioural outcome compared by using the Houpt scale in the treatment of anxious and uncooperative paediatric patients. Materials and Methods: A randomised clinical trial was conducted in the Department of Paediatric and Preventive Dentistry, SGT University, Haryana, India between September 2018 to December 2019. The study included 100 anxious children (Venham’s picture scale) aged three to five years, who required procedures under local anaesthesia administration were divided into four groups using envelop method. Each group was given either oral midazolam (M) (0.3 mg/kg) or oral ketamine (K) (3 mg/kg) or oral combination of midazolam+ketamine (M+K) (0.3 mg/kg and 2 mg/kg) or inhalational nitrous oxide-oxygen (N2O). The behaviour response of the child was recorded using the Houpt scale. The oxygen saturation level and heart rate of each patient were also recorded before, after, and during the procedure. Adverse drug reactions post-treatment was also recorded. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), Chi-square test and Mann-Whitney U test was used for statistical analysis. Results: The study comprised of 100 anxious children (mean age was 4.1±0.5 years) requiring administration of local anaesthesia with intent to complete in-office treatment. Statistically, a significant difference was found among behaviour outcomes of four groups (p-value=0.047). Acceptable behaviour was seen best in K+M group (88%), followed by oral ketamine (K) (68%), N2O (59%), and oral midazolam (M) (52%). Adverse reactions were most commonly seen in the oral ketamine group. Conclusion: Oral M+K combination group is significantly better than oral ketamine (K), oral midazolam (M) or N2O inhalation sedation to achieve the required behaviour for dental treatment in three to five years old patients.

Download Full-text