Paediatric procedural sedation based on nitrous oxide and ketamine: sedation registry data from Australia

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Large, mainly North American, series has shown the safety of paediatric procedural sedation in the emergency department (ED). However, sedation practices elsewhere differ. This study set out to investigate the sedation practice and the associated adverse events profile at the largest Australian paediatric ED. METHOD: Review of a prospective single centre procedural sedation registry database at an urban tertiary children's hospital ED in Australia with an annual census of 67 000 patients over a 4-year period (2004-8). Sedation records were supplemented with medical record review. Patients 18 years and older were excluded. Demographics, agents used, adverse events and complications..