Oral pentobarbital suspension for children sedation during MR imaging.

OBJECTIVES: The efficacy and safety of an oral pentobarbital suspension for sedation during pediatric MR imaging were assessed.

METHODS: Data were recorded from October 2016 to January 2017. The exact dose of oral pentobarbital suspension was given for each child with an oral syringe. Parameters recorded included the patient's age and weight, the time required to sedate, the duration of sedation, the time required to discharge, and quality of MR imaging. The adverse effects were recorded.

RESULTS: Oral pentobarbital suspension was administered to 81 children aged from 8 months to 8 years at a dose of 5mg/kg of body weight. The mean time required to sedate was 30±21min, a mean time of sedation of 47±23min, and a mean time to discharge of 77±32min. Sedation occurred a satisfied quality of MR imaging in 67% of patients. The failure of examination was essentially due to bad taste of the drug suspension. The overall success rate of sedation in patients less than 12 months was 100%. For ages 1 to 3 years, the success rate decreased to 76% and for ages 4 to 8 years, it decreased to 42%.

CONCLUSIONS: Oral pentobarbital suspension used in MR imaging demonstrated its high rate of successful sedation in infants less than 12 months with no adverse effects during the study period.