[Clinical study of postoperative sedation in pediatric patients--effects of inhalation anesthetics and postoperative analgesics].

: The effects of three different inhalation anesthetics (sevoflurane, isoflurane and halothane) delivered with oxygen and nitrous oxide during surgery and of postoperative analgesics on degree %% postoperative sedation immediately following removal of the tracheal tube, in the recovery room and thereafter in the surgical ward, were studied in 74 pediatric patients under 12 years of age. They underwent elective surgical procedures including repair of inguinal hernia, orchidopexy, tonsillectomy, repair of cleft lip and certain orthopedic procedures. The degree of postoperative sedation was assessed using a nine-point behavioral scale (sedation score) designed for the rating of postoperative pain in children. There were no significant differences in sedation score or frequency of use of postoperative analgesics at any time of assessment among the three inhalation anesthetics. Thirty-eight percent of the patients received analgesics such as diclofenac and acetaminophen suppositories, and intravenous pentazocine. There were no significant differences in sedation score between the group of patients who received analgesics and the group of those who did not, and many patients had satisfactory sedation scores in the surgical ward, suggesting that appropriate administration of postoperative analgesics is possible.