Magnesium has many known indications in anesthesiology and intensive care, and others have been suggested by recent publications. Because of its interactions with drugs used in anesthesia, anesthesiologists and intensive care specialists need to have a clear understanding of the role of this important cation.

We evaluated the safety and efficacy of midazolam-ketamine association to control pain induced by diagnostic procedures in paediatric oncology patients. 226 procedures were carried out in 92 patients aged three days to 18 years. Drugs were given i.v. by an anaesthesiologist. Midazolam dose was 25 microg.kg-1 and ketamine 0. 5 to 2 mg.kg-1, depending on number and invasiveness of procedures. The mean dose of ketamine was 1 mg.kg-1. Mean duration of sedation was ten min. No complication was observed and analgesia was considered satisfactory in 89 out of 92 patients. These results indicate that midazolam-ketamine is a safe and effective association in pain management for paediatric oncology patients and efficiently induces brief unconscious sedation with analgesia.

No abstract

No abstract

The analgesic efficacy and safety of propacetamol, an injectable prodrug of acetaminophen, (paracetamol) were studied in 87 children (36 boys, 51 girls; age 6-13; mean age 9.5 years) immediately after limb surgery. Using a double-blind, randomized, parallel group design, the effects of a single IV infusion of 30 mg.kg-1 propacetamol (i.e. 15 mg.kg-1 acetaminophen) were compared with a single injection of placebo (PL). Efficacy was assessed on pain scores rated on a four-point verbal scale, a five-point visual scale (faces) and on a four-point relief verbal scale before administration (T0) and 0.25, 0.5, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6 h after administration. At the end the global efficacy was rated by the physician on a five-point verbal scale. Propacetamol was statistically superior to placebo on all assessment criteria. Seven side-effects were recorded: five in the propacetamol group and two in the placebo group. 30 mg.kg-1 propacetamol provided a significantly greater analgesic effect than placebo in children after orthopaedic surgery.