Lessening Pre-Op Anxiety

Pediatrics for Parents, July, 1999

Preoperative sedation is given to lessen anxiety. It's part of the standard protocol for adults having surgery. Many anesthesiologists don't use preop sedation when children are going to have surgery, believing it is not of any benefit to the patient and increases the risk of problems during and after the surgery.

There's no question that preop sedation reduces a child's anxiety before surgery. The important question is if it changes the child's behavior after surgery.

A study of 86 children ages 2- to 7- years old found that preop sedation did make a difference in their post-op behavior. The children given midazolam (Versed) mixed with acetaminophen (Tylenol) had significantly fewer negative behavioral changes for up to week when compared to children who didn't receive the preop anesthesia. There were no differences in behavior in the two groups when measured 2 weeks after surgery.

There's good reason to give children undergoing surgery preop sedation -- just as is done with adults. It does make a difference to the children.