Anesthesia for nuclear medicine procedures in children from 2002-2004 in Siriraj Hospital: a retrospective study

Authors : Amornyotin S, Promthong P, Reunreung W

DOI :

Volume : 32

Issue : 3

Year : 2006

Page No : 182-190

Background : Nuclear medicine procedure is a procedure for diagnosis of the abnormality of different parts of the body. The authors studied anesthetic data as a basis for further research. Objective : To report and evaluate the choices and techniques, drug usage and complications of anesthesia for nuclear medicine procedures in children form 2002-2004 in Siriraj Hospital. Method : Retrospectively analyzed the patients on whom nuclear medicine procedure had been performed during the period of November, 2002 to October, 2004 in Siriraj Hospital. The patients’ characteristics, preanesthetic problems, anesthetic techniques, agents, and time, as well as nuclear medicine procedures and their complications were assessed and summarized by using descriptive statistics. Results : During the study period, there were 195 patients receiving, nuclear medicine procedures ; i.e. renal scan with Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) (26.7%), bone scan (25.6%), bone scan and Metaiodobenzylguanidine (MIBG) (20.0%), renogram (16.9%), diuretic renal scan (5.6%) and others (2.5%). The majority of them were in the age group of 0-24 months (57.5%) and classified in ASA class II (46.7%). The diagnosis were neuroblastoma (25.1%), renal outflow tract obstruction (17.4%), vesicoureteral reflux (14.4%), hydronephrosis (9.7%), urinary tract infection (6.2%) and others (27.2%). Most common preanesthetic problems were hematologic, respiratory and renal diseases. Total intravenous anesthesia (TIVA) was the main anesthetic technique in 87.7% of the patients. The mainly used anesthetic agents were midazolam, propofol and ketamine. The mean anesthetic time (SD) was 56.6 (29.7) minutes. The most frequent anesthetic complication was hypotension. Conclusion : During anesthetic management for nuclear medicine procedure, special techniques or drugs in anesthesia are not routinely required, however, the anesthetic personnel had to optimize the patient’s condition for safety and beware of complications.